Psychiatric Help
by Chaotic-Elf-of-Doom
Summary: Damian Rykotsu OC has been hired as the newest of the Psychatric Ward in Arkham Asylum. The weird thing about him though is he only has one patient in interest, will he become too close to this patient? Find out and read. No Slash OCXIvy OCXQuinn
1. Chapter 1: New Guy

**Batman: Arkham Asylum **

**Psychiatric Help**

Chapter 1: The New Guy

Rex lit up a flavored cigar and too a good it off of it. He let the smoke go into the air and looked off of his balcony into the courtyard of Arkham Island. He looked around at the guards set up on their watch towers with the high-powered rifles they were issued by Warden Rykotsu.

Two years earlier Rex didn't work here, but his friends Gorian and Stone Rykotsu did, as guards, as they do now. Warden Sharp got in serious trouble three and a half years earlier when Joker sprang all of the crazies locked up in Arkham out of their cells to unleash a blood-soaked trail of rage and murder. With this incident over his head Warden Sharp was put on the spot and an election was held to hire a new Warden to take command over the Asylum. Only one stood up against Sharp's position. The one that _won_ Sharp's position. _Lilly Rykotsu_. She was the eldest sibling of Rex's best friend, _Damian Rykotsu_. She promised to see to all cells being secure at all times and that a special team of engineers and architects would take up the responsibility of making sure no one could break in or out. Which was withheld without so much as a fuck-up.

This is where Rex came into the equation. _Rex Draven_ is the head of the repair and assembly team. He got the job a year after Lilly's election and has seen to it that no one has even gotten close to getting out of their cells. His abilities in the technological and structural were infallible.

Rex is twenty-four years old with a strong build from having to lift heavy objects and working out every day of his life since he was fifteen. He has bushy blue hair and is always wearing black leather: vest, pants, cowboy boots, and fingerless gloves. He wore a white tank top under his vest and a black cowboy hat on his head, witch matching sunglasses. However, seeing how he was getting ready to start his shift, he wore a dark blue jumpsuit with the top unzipped an around his waist so you could clearly see his white tank top underneath.

The door to the balcony swung up open and _Stone Rykotsu_ stepped out with his own flavored cigar. He lit his and took a large puff of it. "What up?" He asked Rex leaning against the rail of the balcony.

"Just enjoying a smoke before I start my shift, like always," Rex replied flicking ashes off the balcony. "You're up early, what's up with that?" Stone spat and shifted.

"Gorian woke me up 'cause I have to start _my_ shift early. Sucks balls! I hate this shit. It's bad enough I have to wake up at ten every morning but _seven_?" He flicked ashes from his cigar and took another hit. "Oh, I snagged one of your cigar things, I'm not allowed to smoke weed on the island, or anywhere legally." Rex laughed and shook his head.

"I don't mind dude."

Stone was thirty years of age with a swimmer's build. He was taller than Rex by about five inches, standing at six-foot-eight if you want to do the math, and had bushy brown hair and bushy black eyebrows. He had piercing green eyes and a wicked grin that scared little children. He wore his guard gear complete with nightstick, walkie-talkie, gun, Taser, pepper spray, and handcuffs. However, he usually wore denim shorts that were always ripped up at the legs, a white tank top much like Rex, no shoes, and a stupid smile. He had a few scars here and there from tussles with the inmates.

"Gorian's getting ready now, he wants us to go around with you and secure all of the cells of the higher level inmates like Crane, Fries, and Cobblepot, though I'm still not sure how _The Penguin_ is a top level inmate. Anyway, so you're gonna be with us for probably the first half of your shift." Rex took another hit from his cigar and said.

"That's fine I don't mind." Stone nodded.

It was then the door opened again and a giant of a man standing at seven-foot-one came onto the balcony, ducking to get through the door. _Gorian Rykotsu_ was second eldest of the Rykotsu siblings, younger, only, than Lilly. He had an extremely built body structure, most people say he's ninety-nine percent muscle, if it gives you any idea. He has short brown hair, a little lighter in color to Stone's, which is tied into a short ponytail that stops halfway down his neck. He chin was complimented by a perfect five o'clock shadow that he always had. His eyes were blue and gentle as he was, most of the time, but he knew when it was time to get aggressive, seeing his line of work, that's a good thing. He wore his usual guard attire and when he wasn't he wore camouflage cargo pants and a normal white t-shirt. He lit up a cigarette, which was rare to see, and took a hit off of it.

"You tell him what's going on?" Gorian asked in his naturally deep voice. Stone nodded and flicked his cigar off of the balcony. Rex dove and caught it before it could fall out of his reach. He had the quickest reflexes either of the brothers' had ever known. He regained his footing and looked at Stone.

"I said you could bum, not waste," Rex said putting the half of a cigar out and pocketing it. "These things aren't cheap you know." Stone rolled his eyes. "He told me the plan today, Gorian," Rex stated taking a puff from his cigar. Gorian nodded and put out his cigarette after only taking three hits. He gave the rest to Rex who placed it in his pocket. A sudden vibrating noise filled the air and Stone and Rex looked at Gorian who pulled his cellphone out of one of his pants pockets. He answered it with a, "Yeah?" and then went quiet for a moment.

"Why?" He asked with a bit of frustration in his voice. "What? Why is he here…" _silence_ "…alright fine we'll be right there." He closed his phone and replaced it in his pocket. He sighed and looked at Rex and Stone. "Damian's here," he told them.

"Why?" Stone asked. "He knows not to come here unless it's a dire emergency." Gorian sighed and nodded.

"Guess he didn't get the memo," Rex said with a smirk. Rex and Damian had been closer than two friends could without being blood siblings. The one aspect of Damian that Rex admired the most is that Damian had a way of doing what he thought was right even if it was against his siblings wishes. He had guessed this was a situation where that aspect was about to be shown. "C'mon, let's head to Lilly's office."

The Rykotsu siblings, excluding Damian, and Rex had all taken refuge in the Arkham Mansion. When Lilly was fully elected and placed in the Warden's position she wanted to make sure she was as close to Arkham as possible without it being uncomfortable. She had the Arkham Mansion's top floor crafted into a level of bedrooms for the chief of guard, Gorian, the second in command of the guard, Stone, and the chief of repairs, Rex, to room in. Damian had been given a very expensive, but paid-for, apartment room near the entrance so the four of them could visit when they had the time, which was usually never. Damian, on occasion, however, would venture to Arkham Asylum to confront his siblings and best friends since they were often too busy. Lilly didn't mind much; though she made it clear he shouldn't visit _too_ often. Gorian and Stone, however, hated the idea of him being so close to psychopathic, costumed weirdoes. They made him promise to only visit on emergencies only, he did, so he made up a fake emergency whenever he visited. Rex loved it when his best friend visited so they could talk and smoke like they did when they went to high school together, when Rex would protect Damian from bullies. The good ol' days.

They each got what they needed and headed down to the level where Lilly's office was located. They passed through the record room and Gorian grabbed a manila folder on one of the inmates. Gorian held onto the folder as they found their way to the Warden's office. There in Warden Lilly's office I sat with a smile on my face. A helpless, naïve smile that really had no place being there. There was a knock at the door and my siblings and Rex entered. Gorian and Stone didn't look very pleased at my presence but Rex smiled when he saw me. I stood and shook Rex's hand. I smiled at my brother who nodded at me. "Thank you for joining us," my eldest sibling, and only sister, Lilly Rykotsu, said. She was a tall woman with the same white hair I had. It was long but at the moment it was put into a neat and tight bun. She had a pair of thin glasses on that were at the tip of her nose. She wore a lovely suit/dress that was white with an icy-blue tie, which matched perfectly with the color of her cold blue eyes. She was light-skinned but fair and beautiful nonetheless.

"Hi everyone," I said with a smile. I am _Damian Rykotsu_, I'm twenty-five years old and have short white hair that I rarely comb, I did today however. I wore a black formal suit with a red undershirt and black tie. I don't usually wear such clothing but today was a special occasion. Due to a birth defect I had red eyes, weird I know, and pale skin as well. I had many scars from my years being bullied in high school but I always carried a smile for optimism. "Good to see you after about a week of not hearing a single word or syllable from any of you." Rex smiled and patted my shoulder.

"Sorry about that dude, busy, you know how it is for the four of us."

I nodded with a smile. "I understand completely my old friend but a call every blue moon would be nice ya know." Rex and I shared a laugh when Gorian said.

"Why are you here?"

"Damian's here for a job," Lilly answered for me. "He's turned in his résumé and as you could probably guess its all in order and he's more than capable of getting hired."

"Hired as what? Please tell me you're not here to be—"

"Part of the Psychiatric Staff," I told him. "I wanna be a psychiatrist and do some interviews first hand."

"No," Gorian said simply. My smile didn't fade. I looked at him. "It's too dangerous. Damian you couldn't even convince teenagers in high school not to beat you up, aside from Rex but he's the only one." Rex winced subtly at the mention of that part of his life. "You really think you could stand a chance with Zsasz, Crane, Nigma, or, god forbid, Fries, or Joker. You can't handle this and you should just walk out that door and go back to—"

"What? My job at the library, hoping every single day and night that my siblings and best friend will give me a call, and when you _don't_ I'm always afraid that it's because someone's killed you. You're working with psychos and you think just because you guys can fight I'm not fit to work here. Fuck you!" Stone, Rex, Gorian, and even Lilly were surprised. I was no longer smiling, my body was shaking and I almost had tears in my eyes. This wasn't a gilt trip. This was honesty at its most aggressive. I stayed up every night for the first week waiting for them to call, for the first week the calls came regularly but as they drug on they lessened and lessened until the phone didn't ring. "Fuck you," I repeated. "I'm tired of being the weakest in the family. I'm tired of being the child that every single one of you has the need to protect. I'm twenty-five, I can drive, drink, smoke, I can do whatever the fuck I want but you all act like I can't even tie my own goddamn shoes!" Gorian's face was as it usually was but I could tell I'd gotten through his thick skull. Stone smirked at my aggressiveness, Rex's face was full of guilt, and Lilly was sitting back in her chair with her eyebrows raised.

I was breathing hard when I finished my ranting and I sat down looking at Lilly seriously. "So when do I start?" I asked. Lilly wasn't smiling, at first, but it slowly crept in the form of a smirk, then a full-blown smile, then she began to laugh. She laughed loudly and got out of her chair and walked around her desk. I stood and she hugged my neck.

"Look at this!" She exclaimed happily. "My little brother finally standing up for himself. I told them it would happen, didn't I Rex?" I looked at Rex, who nodded.

"She did man," Rex said laughing. Stone joined in the laugh but Gorian only smirked. Stone slapped me on my back and said.

"Well shit when you put it that way, I guess we can't deny you that right!" I nodded as thanks to them all. Lilly kissed my forehead and walked around her desk and sat in her chair. She typed something on her keyboard and then pressed enter.

"Okay…" she said with a smile. "You're first interview will start tomorrow. With the patient you've so humbly requested." Gorian, Stone, and even Rex now looked worried. I always had a problem with wanting to help the ones deemed impossible, and that problem reared its ugly head once more in the current situation.

"Who?" Gorian, Stone, and Rex said in unison.

"Who did you request, Damian?" Stone said seriously.

"God please don't tell me you requested The Joker!" Rex said.

"Or Bane!" Stone added.

"Or anyone that could rip you apart either physically, or mentally," Gorian said.

"He specifically asked for the inmate that most appealed to him. He was the most interested in Mr. Waylon Jones, AKA _Killer Croc_…"

"WHAT!" The three of them exclaimed in unison. "What the fuck are you thinking?" Stone asked loudly. "Jones could rip you a new asshole with one finger. Hell no! Pick someone else for your own sake!" I laughed and said.

"No, Jones is the only one that really spoke to me when I was checking out the news reports for the villains that have made themselves known in this city. Joker's cliché, Quinn is only following the Joker, Riddler, though he is an interesting person, isn't my type of psychosis, in fact I think he may actually be sane. Then there's Penguin…enough said. Scarecrow has always been Kainan's interest, and Bane's not mentally unstable he's just addicted to Venom. Croc has a medically rare skin disorder that he's suffered bullying for. He joined the carnival as a freakshow to get away from the world, or so I think, and what does he do after? He becomes a Mafioso, a gangster, killing everyone that gets in his path, he's not crazy, he's sadistic and malicious, sure, but I don't think he's crazy. I just want a chance to get to know what's going on in his head." Gorian rubbed his eyes tiresomely. Stone sighed in irritation and Rex only shook his head.

"Oh shut up you guys," Lilly said annoyed. "He's interviewing Jones and that's final. Now I want you three to do what you're supposed to do today, which is to survey the inmates' cells that are marked on this list. Including inmate's 125 through 132 then inmates Jonathan Crane, aka Scarecrow, Edward Nigma, aka The Riddler, Oswald Cobblepot, aka Penguin, Drury Walker aka Killer Moth, Warren White, aka Great White Shark, and finally Mr. Dorrance, aka Bane. After this is done you may find an office for Damian personally so he may prep for his interview. Understood?" Lilly asked standing up. Gorian, Stone, and Rex nodded.

I waved them out then turned to Lilly. "What should I do?" I asked.

"Wanna meet some of the inmates?" Lilly asked with a smirk. I smiled and nodded excitedly.

"How many are left?" Stone asked inpatiently as the three of them walked down the halls of the penitentiary.

"Just Great White," Rex said. "…and Penguin." Stone sighed.

"Do we _actually_ have to check Penguin's cell?" Stone asked with obvious disdain. "I mean is he _really_ gonna break out? Gorian sucker punched him last time he tried and broke that beak of his. He won't try it again." Gorian was reading the manila folder he had picked up.

"Don't worry it won't be long," he said closing the folder. "All we have to do is make sure the circuits are fully functional. Then we can move on to a _special_ mission." Rex and Stone glanced at each other then looked at Gorian.

"What mission is that?" Rex asked with suspicious curiosity.

"We're gonna make sure Croc can't harm Damian," he replied not even looking away from the hallway ahead of him. "And we can't let Lilly know, got it?" Rex sighed but nodded. Stone laughed and said.

"Gorian I didn't know you _could_ be sneaky. I'm fairly impressed."

"I'm not trying to impress you," he spat. "I'm trying to make sure Damian isn't harmed. Even if that means going behind the Warden's back." Stone nodded still impressed.

"Then let's get this shit outta the way so we can get on it as soon as possible," Rex confirmed as they stopped at a cell that was well-lit and spacy. Inside were a toilet, sink, radio, chair, a table and a bed. On the bed was a tall, broad man with a normal orange jumpsuit on. It was marked with the number 817. The man was a bluish-gray color with a bald head, no lips, no ears, and no nose to speak of. When the three of them approached his cell Warren White, aka _The Great White Shark_ stood and smiled at them with a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth that snapped when he talked.

"Well, well," Great White said as they approached. "My time to die? Or perhaps you're here to set me free?" Gorian shook his head slowly but the Shark's smile didn't fade. "Shame I must say. I was so hoping to get outta here today."

"Not for awhile, White," Rex replied. "Now if you would please step back and put your hands against the wall while we check your cell." White nodded with a toothy grin as he slowly stepped to the back wall and put both of his palms flat against the brick. "Thank you."

As Rex entered the cell he did a full examination of every wire and circuit. He twisted a few things and said "Hmm…" a few times before he finished. "Thank you Mr. White, you've been very obedient," Rex said genuinely with a smile. "In fact you may step back from the wall if you promise to behave while I check the confines of your cell." White lowered his arms and smiled. He put his hands behind his back and said.

"Of course, Mr. Draven, anything you say." His voice was raspy and dark but Rex thought nothing of it as he searched for anything unpermitted. He pulled an object wrapped in tinfoil out from under his mattress. He opened it and found a half-eaten piece of meat in it. Rex looked at White who merely shrugged.

"Let's not have this anymore. Okay?" Rex said with a smile. "But since you're not stirring up anything I guess it'd be okay for you to keep it, there's no bones that I can see so…" Rex rewrapped it and handed it to White. The Shark took it from him and placed it on his bedside table. He nodded, this time actually thankful, and continued to mind his obedience. "Alright, everything's clean here. You have a good day Mr. White," Rex said putting out his hand. Gorian and Stone flinched at such a gesture but Rex's smile was nothing short of genuine. White was unsure and looked uncomfortable but he shook Rex's hand nonetheless. Rex turned around, walked out of the cell, and pressed the right keys that operated the force field.

Rex and the Rykotsu's began walking towards their last, and least favorite, stop. "What was that?" Gorian asked with a frown.

"Yeah man you ain't supposed to be friendly with the inmates. It gives 'em the wrong impressions. It's happened to a guard before, he thought he could trust Joker and before he knew it he was a corpse laying in the clown's wake." Stone smiled at the story evilly even though he was being serious. "Great White won't spare you should he get a chance to escape. Remember that."

"If you make them feel like equals instead of children then they'll give you positive feedback," Rex told them with a smile. "Simple as that. I treated him like a person instead of a monster like you guards do." Gorian and Stone scowled at him. "Hey, it's true, I've seen the ways you guys treat those guys, it's inhuman."

"Most of the people who're locked up here are inhuman!" Stone snapped. "When you're cozying up to the next one just remember how many people he killed to get in here."

Rex didn't let Stone and Gorian's words get to him. He knew deep down in every man there was a bit of good. He would know.

They found their way to Penguin's cell. A cell that was dressed up nicely enough. It had all the same features as Warren White's but instead of a tall man there was a squat little fat man sitting on the bed. His hair was black and his nose was long and pointed like a beak. He had blue eyes and a nasty sneer on his face when he saw Gorian. Oswald Cobblepot had a long-standing grudge with my brother because of the incident about five years ago when Penguin tried to escape. He ran into Gorian, who busted his nose all to hell. It was healed now but the mental pain was still there.

"Eh…what do you want?" The squat little man said. "You here to set me free?"

"No," Gorian answered simply. "Now against the wall while we check your cell. Now!" Cobblepot did as commanded and stood with his three-digit hands against the wall. He gritted his teeth as Rex stepped in to do his routine check. It was about five or so minutes when Rex said.

"All clean. Have a good day Mr. Cobblepot." They reproduced his force field then headed down the hall with the Penguin cursing behind them.

"Not gonna shake Cobblepot's…_flipper_?" Stone teased flicking Rex's ear. Rex batted his hand away and said.

"I'd rather not, he's a letdown to many villains I'm sure."

"C'mon," Gorian said turning a corner to a special cell. "Croc's cell is this way."

Warden Quincy Sharp had put Waylon Jones, aka Killer Croc, in the sewer system after his last escape some number of years ago. The guards would often take his food to him by dropping it in a hole and not even caring if he found it. Lilly wasn't happy about it. She thought all inmates should be treated well. So she had a special cell made for Croc so he wouldn't _actually_ miss the sewer.

They found their way to a large door resembling that of a safe. There were two guards placed outside of it. "At ease we need to speak with Jones," Gorian told them. They both saluted, something they inherited from Gorian who served in the military. He saluted back and they opened the door to the room holding Croc's cell.

The cell was huge to fit an eleven foot giant reptile. A large reinforced glass window, a foot and a half thick, was placed in front with holes for him to speak through. It had skulls and bones hanging from the ceilings and in neat stacks, souvenirs Lilly allowed, and a pool big enough for the giant to swim around in for his exercise and enjoyment. One corner held a stack of raw steaks neatly stacked. As the three approached an eerie silence befell the room.

There, in the middle of the cell, with his back facing the three, stood _Killer Croc_. His mere appearance was ominous in and of itself. He towered over even Gorian and had large green scales covering his entire body. He wore a massive white tank top over his torso with only a pair of pants that had to be sewn specially for him. He wore a large nylon rope around his waist for a belt. His feet were bare and his forearms were wrapped in athletic tape. He was bald and had large shoulders with scaly spines jutting out. He sniffed the air and turned slowly to face them with a toothy smile that would put Great White Shark's smile to shame. He had beady yellow eyes resembling an actual crocodile's and teeth the length of fingers and sharper than needles. His pectoral muscles bulged from underneath his shirt and his claws could slice through brick, let alone human flesh and bone. He stepped up to the glass and smiled _down_ at Gorian.

"Hello…Rykotsu," Croc growled, his words seemed to gurgle like a male crocodile in mating season. "And the younger Rykotsu, and…" he stared at Rex interestingly. "And…who…is _this_?" He began to sniff Rex through the window and shuddered as though he enjoyed the smell of Rex's blood pulsing through his veins, which he probably did. "He smells _delicious_!"

"Cool it Jones!" Gorian said knocking against the glass softly with his knuckle. "He's chief of repair and you'll respect him as you do us." Stone snickered.

"He doesn't respect us." Gorian smacked him in the head and said.

"Nevertheless," Gorian stated seriously. "Move back and allow him to check your cell. Go on, against the wall. Now!" Croc only stood there grinning evilly at Rex. He _really_ liked his scent. Then there was a high-pitched squeal as over two-thousand volts of electricity cascaded through Croc's body and he roared in pain. He batted at the collar trying to pry it off but it was reinforced titanium that he couldn't even break out of. Croc slammed a huge, scaled hand against the glass and glared at Gorian who didn't flinch at the sight of the giant. "Back up and turn around." Croc did as instructed and turned towards the pool then put his hands on the back of his head. "Let's do it."

"Alright," Rex replied. "You want me to reinforce his chains? I have some thick chains I used to tie to cars when we need to transport them from place to place via a crane." Gorian nodded. "Hey guys!" Rex said speaking into his walkie-talkie.

"Yes sir?" A voice spoke back clearly over the device.

"Go ahead and bring those reinforced car chains to Croc's cell so we can put them on him to get him ready for his interview soon."

"You got it," the voice rang back. "Be there in about five minutes."

"Good," Gorian said opening the door to Croc's cell.

"Gorian!" Rex called. "Wait, please, the boys'll bring the chains soon." Gorian ignored him heading into the cell. Rex and Stone flinched as he brought up a gun and pointed it at Croc. Croc turned in enough time to see Gorian pull the trigger. "GORIAN!" Rex exclaimed loudly. What hit Croc wasn't a bullet, however, but a small metallic dart. The plunger on the dart dropped and a little glowing blue solution sank into his Croc's chest. Croc roared and started near Gorian. Without flinching or hesitating Gorian popped two more into his chest and then one in each leg. Croc fell and slid until he was merely inches from Gorian's feet. Gorian spat on the floor and said.

"He should be out for a while. That's seven darts so he should be out until his interview in about an hour." He looked at his watch and was satisfied with his assumption. The five minutes went by and a mere minute later Rex's boys arrived with four three massive silver chains hooked to shackles. He put one chain, bearing a shackle on both ends, on his wrists and another on his ankles. They lifted his head and attached the third to the hook on his shock collar, then let his head fall to the ground. They flipped him over, seeing as he landed on his stomach, and attached all three chains to one another so if he tried to run or swing his fists it would react with each other.

"There," Stone said locking the final link with another. "That should just about do it."

"Yeah," Rex agreed. He scowled at Gorian. "A little heads up would be nice next time."

"Don't give me that," Gorian said softly but sternly. "If I told you I was about to do that you'd've bitched at me. So save it." Rex glared at him but let it go. "Okay, one more thing." He tapped Croc's collar with his foot and said. "Go ahead and up the voltage on the collar."

"It already pumps over two-thousand volts into the guy. Do you honestly thing we need more?" Gorian glared at him and grabbed his collar.

"Listen good, Rex," Gorian said darker than usual. "Damian's safety is my top priority, you wouldn't know seeing as how you nearly killed him in high school years ago…"

"I apologized to each of you like five hundred times, Damian accepted it after the first and he's the one I nearly beat to death. Why can't you accept that I'm truly, truly sorry about that?"

"Shut up!" Gorian said remembering his brother's condition in the hospital. "Now listen to me, you are to up the voltage so I can be _damn _sure that thing doesn't hurt my little brother. Got me? Now do it!" He let go of Rex and scowled. He was truly worried about his brother's safety, and had been since their days in high school. Rex understood and adjusted the power of the collar then stood.

"It's done," he said with a small smile. Gorian nodded and said.

"Good. Now let's go. We gotta show Damian to the office he'll be using for his interviews." Stone smirked at Croc's unconscious body then nodded.

"Alright, let's go."

"Wow," I said softly in awe at the condition of Edward Nigma's cell. It was a messy, and he had green question marks written all over his cell, even on the ceiling. There in the bed, in a green and purple jumpsuit, with the number, 140; sat the Riddler. He had untidy, bushy orange hair and a smirk on his face. He wore his purple domino mask that he always wore, the one Lilly allowed him to wear; she knew it made him feel more comfortable. As he rose he did a little twirl and bowed low.

"Why, hello Warden," he said in a chipper and yet, sadistic tone. His left eye was violet and the right was green. "To what do I owe this unexpected and joyous visit?" Lilly bowed back, I did the same.

"Hello, Edward," Lilly greeted. "How are you today?"

"Fine, Warden, thank you so very, very much for asking," The Riddler said. His two-colored eyes landed on me. "And who, may I ask, is this young gentleman standing her next to you?" He gasped and said. "This wouldn't happen to be the esteemed, younger brother, you tell me about oh, so much, would it?"

"Yes it is, Edward," Lilly replied with a smile. "He's the newest doctor here and will be giving interviews to a patient during his time here." He bowed to me this time and said.

"Well a thousand hellos doctor."

"Hello, Edward," I replied with a genuine smile.

"Riddler to you if you please," Nigma said with a small but evil smile.

"Of course, Riddler, whatever makes you feel more comfortable," I confirmed smiling.

"I must ask doctor," Nigma said. "Have you seen any of my _work_?"

"The riddle-based schemes that you often use to foil the Batman and Gotham's finest? Yes," I confirmed. "I must say…I'm impressed by them." Lilly and The Riddler both looked at me in subtle disbelief. "I mean you set up these bombs and such with a deactivation trigger that can be activated by solving a riddle. You give the people of Gotham a chance to save themselves. I want to relate it to Harvey Dent, Two-Face, but I must say you spare many by your own good-graces." The Riddler's eyes twinkled with pride as he smiled.

"Yes, yes!" He cried happily. "You are correct, doctor! No other doctor has seen this as you have, so you understand that I'm weeding out…"

"The unintelligent citizens? In a certain means, I can see how that's…_true_…actually." Nigma's face lit up even brighter.

"You are truly a brilliant mind, doctor, I can tell, I can tell indeed! I wonder…do you mind if I ask you a riddle? To test you I mean…" I smiled and shrugged.

"I'd love to take that challenge," I replied softly. He looked at Lilly.

"Do you mind warden?" Nigma asked almost childishly.

"I don't see the harm in one riddle," she said with a smile.

"Excellent!" Nigma exclaimed.

"It won't mean my life if I answer incorrectly will it?"

"No, no, no," Nigma laughed. "There's no way for me to kill you anyway." I shrugged and said.

"Ask me as you please, my friend."

"Let's see…" he pondered quietly. "I need a good one for your apparent intellect." He thought for a moment then snapped his fingers and said.

"With potent, flowery words speak I,  
Of something common, vulgar, dry;  
I weave webs of pedantic prose,  
In effort to befuddle those,  
Who think I while time away,  
In lofty things, above all day  
The common kind that linger where  
Monadic beings live and fare;  
Practical I may not be,  
But life, it seems, is full of me!"

"What is it, doctor?" Nigma asked with childish delight. I put my index finger and thumb to my chin and looked down thinking hard. I went through every word and syllable as though my life did, _indeed_, depend on it. I went over the entire riddle at least five times in my head, and even speaking it softly aloud once or twice. It was a puzzling riddle in the grammar he spoke it in. I was about to ask him for the answer when I looked at his wall, then his ceiling, then his floor. Then it dawned on me as though it were right in front of me this whole time.

"Why…it's _A Riddle_!" I said excitedly. The Riddler was as giddy as a schoolgirl shaking hands with the member of her favorite boy band.

"You are, indeed, truly of brilliant intellect doctor! You have answered one of the toughest riddles I have to offer and it only took you three minutes, forty-seven seconds, and thirteen milliseconds!" He clapped his hands and said. "You are indeed a formidable foe, Doctor Rykotsu!"

"And you truly are a brilliant mind, Mr. Riddler," I replied.

"Please," he said bowing low again. "Call me Edward…"

"There you are!" Stone exclaimed as we stepped back into Lilly's office. "Where were you guys we've been waiting her for like thirty minutes!" Lilly giggled and said.

"Our new doctor achieved respect from Mr. Nigma."

"The Riddler?" Rex asked with a surprised look. "Wow man, that's not easy to do. Did you answer one of his riddles correctly?" He asked. I nodded.

"Right, on to more pressing matters," Gorian said interrupting. "You're interview is gonna start in less than half an hour, we need to get you set up for your interview then we need to fetch Jones. Let's go."

Everything was set up according to protocol and I was sitting at the table in the office specified, one big enough for croc to stand in. I had Croc's dossier in front of me and a audio recorder in front of me to record my interview. I looked around at the bland walls and frowned. "I don't think he'll be very comfortable here," I told Lilly who was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. "It's bland and boring and unsettling."

"I know, I hate these things, I've sent in orders asking if I could brighten then up but the higher-ups said that the whole point was to interview them, not make them comfortable, bastards," Lilly said lifting herself off the wall and walking up to the table. "Are you sure you're ready? I mean we can wait about a day or two if you want."

I shook my head. "Nah, I'm ready. I'm eager to meet Mr. Jones. I hope to at least help a little in our interviews. But I don't wanna rush him. I'll go at a pace most comfortable to him." She smiled and nodded.

"Okay, as you wish." She kissed my forehead and walked out the door.

I took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Okay…" I turned on the recorder.

**Damian Rykotsu**: Uh…okay…this is Damian Rykotsu, newly appointed Psychiatrist here at Arkham Asylum…I'm interviewing Patient 358. Waylon Jones, AKA Killer Croc. It is…October seventeenth, five-twenty-seven p.m…I've been very eager to start this interview and remind the audience that it is my first interview so I may be a bit rusty…

_Door slides open…footsteps enter…_

**Gorian Rykotsu**: He's here. You want me to send him in or do you need a bit more time to prepare?

**Damian Rykotsu**: No send him in please. I'm ready.

**Gorian Rykotsu**: Alright we'll be right outside if you need us.

**Damian Rykotsu**: Thank you…I'll be fine.

_Heavy footsteps enter room…chains ring and clang together…_

**Damian Rykotsu**: Ah…Mr. Jones…thank you for taking the time for this little interview…you may sit or stand whichever you prefer. I'm Damian Rykotsu, I'll be your psychiatrist and interviewer for the days to come here at Arkham.

_Chains jingle…chair slides…Croc sits…_

**Killer Croc**: Well, well, well…this is the new doctor they have to examine my head…eh?

**Damian Rykotsu**: Yes Mr. Jones, or would you prefer Waylon? Mr. Waylon? Jones? Killer Croc? Or perhaps just Croc?

_Heavy breathing and light growling…_

**Killer Croc**: I don't give a shit what you call me…but know this…_doc_…I've got your scent now. There's nowhere in this puny little prison you can run…

**Damian Rykotsu**: That's fine, I've no need to run…tell me…this whole "scent" thing you do…is it real? Can you truly track me by my scent?

**Killer Croc**: Oh yes…doc…I can hunt you down with merely my sniffer here…and its locked on you…so tell me…_doc_…is this the part where you try to get inside my head and figure out why I did all of those nasty things I did?

**Damian Rykotsu**: I don't like to think of it as "getting inside your head" I'd like to think of it more as…getting to know you…believe it or not I'm not here to merely be your doctor, Mr. Jones, I'm more here to, if you'll mind the horrid cliché, be your friend…and I know how stupid that must sound…

**Killer Croc**: …

**Damian Rykotsu**: Now if I may…I'd like to start from…the beginning I guess…have you always had this skin condition, Mr. Jones?

_Heavy breathing continues…growls…_

**Killer Croc**: Yep…these scales have painted this ol' Croc's body since my mamma popped me out of her belly…and since…other doctors say I'm a medical anomaly. A miracle fit for the medical books. Do you like my scales…_doc_? Do you think they make me look like a freak?

**Damian Rykotsu**: No.

**Killer Croc**: …

**Damian Rykotsu**: Honestly Mr. Jones…Do you honestly think anybody is actually…_normal?_

**Killer Croc**: (laughs) Have you taken a good look at me doc? I'm not your garden-variety bastard.

**Damian Rykotsu**: The scales, I think, add to your uniqueness…I think they make you who you are…they're, how can I say this, your calling card I guess…

**Killer Croc**: …

**Damian Rykotsu**: Now when you were a boy you were tormented by the boys at your school is this correct?

**Killer Croc**: Yeah…_doc_…they were horrible. Makes me wish I'd eaten them when I had the chance…(laughs)…

**Damian Rykotsu**: I see…well if you can believe it, Mr. Jones, I can relate to you…

**Killer Croc**: Oh…?

**Damian Rykotsu**: Yes…you see I was in a private school for very discriminative young men. I mean it when I say discriminative. They hated everyone! If you weren't a true American, which none of us really are honestly, then you weren't worth shit in their eyes…you see…I'm half Japanese...hence the surname…and I was tortured and beat up as a boy.

_Croc Growls_

**Killer Croc: **I'm not convinced, doc…I see what you're trying to do. You're trying to get into my head but it's not gonna work. I've been through many of these patient interview sessions before. And scared most of the doctors away, if not _ate _them…(laughs)…

**Damian Rykotsu:** I heard. I must say that's impressive. I suppose it's a lot like Mr. Nigma, though instead of weeding out the morons, you're weeding out the weak. I think its good of you to scare those who can't handle this job off. Now then…let me see…says here that one day you just got fed up with all of the bullying and when your tormentors came back you actually _attacked_ one and nearly killed him. This was when you were a small boy too.

**Killer Croc:** I got tired of being fucked with…(laughs)…wish I could find him again. I'd rip him apart and make a full-course meal out of him. (laughs)

**Damian Rykotsu:** I see so let me see…you'd eat him? Why? Why eat people? Is it an urge to get back at humanity from your trials and tribulations as a child or do you just enjoy the flavor?

**Killer Croc:** You're really asking me this doc? You're for real?

**Damian Rykotsu:** Oh yes…I'd _really_ like to know the answer.

**Killer Croc:** Because I _fucking_ can.

**Damian Rykotsu:** I see, you know, honestly, that's a very commonly used reason. And it's the best reason to use that actually makes since. Sure as hell better than just saying "Because…" and that's it.

**Killer Croc:** I'm interested in what you taste like, doc. I'm also wondering what I would use to cook you with…(laughs)…

**Damian Rykotsu:** Hm…not sure. I've never tried human flesh before. Is it good?

_Croc Growls…_

**Killer Croc:** You makin' fun of me doc? I don't like to be mocked.

**Damian Rykotsu:** I'm not mocking you Mr. Jones. I'm merely asking a question.

**Killer Croc:** It's tasty. The best meat I've ever eaten.

**Damian Rykotsu:** I see…interesting…

_Silence…_

_Door opens…_

**Gorian Rykotsu: **Damian, time's up. We gotta take Croc back to his cell. Let's go Jones.

**Killer Croc:** (laughs) Until next time…_doc_…

**Damian Rykotsu:** Very well. I'll see you next time Mr. Jones. Tomorrow at three p.m. Until then and if I may. I'd like to go into your times at your reform school. When they sent you after you attacked the young tormentor. Is that fine with you?

**Killer Croc:** Whatever you say, doc….(laughs)

_Click…End of Interview_


	2. Chapter 2: Immunity's a Bitch

Chapter 2: Immunity's a Bitch

I walked by many of the cells in the penitentiary section of Arkham Island. I walked by many well-known faces; such as: The Riddler, Black Mask, Calendar Man, and Killer Moth, making sure to bow to Mr. Nigma as I walked by. I also went by the normal inmates, humans with regular abilities, and I went by the insanity division with the inmates in strait jackets that were drooling and banging their heads against the wall. I shook my head sighing as I walked past them. I put my hands behind my back and walked out of the penitentiary and into the courtyard. It had been about fifteen hours since my interview with Waylon Jones and I was eager to start our second one as soon as possible. I, however, didn't interview him until about five-thirty that afternoon so I had to do all I could to get it out of my mind.

I found my way into the area where all of we psychiatrists did our interviews. There were offices in the middle of square walls and I heard voices every now and again. I smiled and kept walking listening every now and again to the conversations going on behind the walls. Well…before a guard moved me along. I then headed out into the courtyard once again. I shook my head bored when suddenly Gorian seemed to pop up out of nowhere behind me. "What are you doing? Don't you have something to do?" He asked gently. I turned and smiled, he scared me shitless, but I didn't let it show.

"No, not anymore, I got my report on my interview with Jones done and out of the way." I smiled. "This morning, in fact." Gorian nodded and said.

"Well come with me, then. Might as well have something for you to do instead of you just wandering around alone in this place." I nodded then asked.

"What's on the agenda today?" He looked at a clipboard he carried and sighed.

"Looks like another day of securing cells and checking inmates." He groaned again and put the clipboard under his arm.

"Like who?" I asked excitedly.

"Roman Sionis…"

"Roman's fine," I assured him. "Went by his cell earlier today." I smiled. He grinned then said.

"Edward Nig—"

"Riddler's alright too," I said with another smile. He chuckled and said.

"Alright, let's see, Jonathan Crane?"

"Haven't checked him yet."

"Bane?" I shook my head. He smiled. "What about Killer Moth?"

"Yep checked him earlier." I smiled. He laughed and said.

"Well, hell, you're making my job easier." We laughed and walked back into the penitentiary.

We walked by many of the 'nameless' inmates and we talked about a few of them. I asked what their diagnosis was and Gorian seemed to know all of them. He was good at his job and made sure to read every prisoner's dossier as soon as their admitted. "This one's odd, he's obsessive compulsive but also a murder. He'll clean up the crime scene, not because he won't get caught, but because he can't stand the mess. The funny thing is, he wanted to get caught but no one could ever find him because of how well he cleaned up the mess." I laughed at the irony, but quietly so not to seem inconsiderate. "Well here we are," Gorian said as we approached a droll but tidy cell. There was no blanket on the bed, instead it was hung in front of the window. I looked around and saw a potato sack under the bed, it had been torn up and someone attempted to sew it back up.

"Hello, Gorian," a soft but cold voice said from one of the dark corners of the room. "How are you today? Good?" A very skinny, shirtless young man walked out from the shadows. He had black wavy hair, grey eyes and a pair of square-rim glasses on. He had a pair of orange pants on with a belt tightened as far as it could go.

"Hello, Jonathan," Gorian said typing in the code to his cell. "Stand back please, so we can check your cell." The man known as _The Scarecrow_ stood back and placed his arms behind his back.

"Please, be my guest." He smirked at me and I smiled back. "And who is this?" He asked looking at me.

"My name is Damian Rykotsu," I told him. "I'm the newest of the Psychiatric Ward here at Arkham. How are you today Dr. Crane?" He smiled a soft but crooked smile and bowed low.

"I'm fine, doctor. How are you? If I might ask." I smiled and said.

"I'm very fine, thank you." I bowed back.

"Damian, quiet for a second while I check the cell." I nodded and smiled at Dr. Crane, who wasn't smiling anymore, more grinning evilly. I cocked an eyebrow. He suddenly asked.

"May I ask you something, doctor?" Crane asked with the same small grin. I nodded still trying to smile. "What is it you're afraid of? Do you fear anything? You must. You are human, correct? Every human is afraid of something. I mean even I'm afraid of things, but don't ask me what they are cause I'm not going to tell you. But…you wanna know don't you?" I wanted to nod, I was very interested in what a master of fear is afraid of but I remember Gorian and shook my head instead. "No? Then you bore me. Leave my cell." Gorian rolled his eyes and when he was finished he locked the cell and Crane, still grinning evilly, went back to his dark corner.

"You okay?" Gorian asked. "That was your first encounter with Crane wasn't it?" I nodded. "Don't worry, shakiness is normal. You see, Crane uses that fear toxin so much that it's, in fact, stained itself on him, anyone who's not used to the scent of the small aroma is going to fall victim to it." It was a few seconds later when I remembered that blinking was important to my eyesight. I looked at my brother and shook my head nervously. "What did you see?" He asked. I shook my head.

"I didn't see anything. Nothing that became visible, but I felt fear, nervousness, things like that." Gorian nodded and ruffled my hair.

"It's alright, little brother, you'll get used to it once you're around him more often." He grinned and chuckled softly. "Hell, Kainan should be completely immune by now, he spends more time with that man then anyone else on the planet combined. Crane is number one on Kainan's "_Most Intriguing Inmates_" list." I smiled weakly and we kept moving until we met up with Rex in the middle of the hallway.

"Hey guys," he said with a smile when he saw us. I smiled and Gorian nodded his head. "Where you guys off to?"

Gorian checked his clipboard. "Uh…Bane's cell." Rex smirked.

"Alright, let's head there then, I'm done with what I had to do." I cocked an eyebrow.

"What did you have to do?" I asked.

"Had to fix a malfunction in Maximillian Zeus' cell. Bastard was messing with the wiring so we had to put him in cuffs until he agrees _not_ to do that anymore." Gorian shook his head tiresomely.

"I told them to just go with regular bars for his cell. He's a genius at mechanics and technology. We can't just make his cell out of his element!" Rex shrugged.

"Well Lilly tried that but wouldn't you know it the higher-ups said it would be too easy for him to break out of." Rex laughed. "The idiots don't know what their talking about." So afterwards we pushed on towards Mr. Dorrance's cell. We spoke along the way of Crane, Rex's first encounter was the same as mine, and other inmates then what was on the menu for the cafeteria. We were about to enter the room they held Bane in when someone stopped us. We turned to see one of Rex's handymen charging at us in panic.

"What's going on?" Gorian asked seriously.

"Rex, it's Fries! Mr. Freeze's cell is on the fritz again and the cooling device is acting up. If you don't fix it soon Victor Fries will die!" Rex cursed and, like that, we were off towards Solitary. We found our way into the large, circular room where many cells were placed along the walls. Mr. Freeze's cell wasn't hard to find, the only one completely encased in frost and ice. The only problem, the ice was slowly dripping to the floor.

"Shit! The temperature is dropping faster than I thought. Lawrence go get the required tools from my office. Go!" The man that had warned us of the situation rushed off and Rex activated the bridge to Fries' cell. He typed a few numbers into the pad, one code to balance the temperature in the cell with the outside, not enough to kill the inmate, but just enough that when the warmer air and the cooler meet it wouldn't kill him on contact. Rex found his way inside; I followed without him knowing, and saw an icy-blue man sitting on a cushioned bench. Victor Fries was a tall, broad man with no hair and cold air rising from his skin. He wore a blue jumpsuit that was covered with a thinning lair of frost. It's only reasonable that he didn't have his Cryo-Suit on in Arkham. When we entered he looked up and revealed a pair of red eyes. He smiled at Rex weakly as he entered.

"Good…to…see you…again…Rex," he said softly and weakly. His voice was raspy and deep like a stereotypical macho man, only colder, if you'll excuse the horrible pun. "Do you…mind…helping me…with this…temperature problem I seem…to be…facing at the moment…?" Rex smiled and nodded.

"Hang on Fries," he said kindly. "Let me see what I can…Damian?" He exclaimed jumping when he saw me behind him. I smiled innocently. "You gotta get outta here dude, when I raise the temperature it could kill you on contact. It's for your own safety man, sorry." I frowned.

"What about you?" I asked.

"I can't explain it man," he said with a smile opening the cooling device at the top of the cell. "I just have a high tolerance for the cold. Always have. Don't you remember when we were in school and I used to walk around shirtless in the snow? Now go on. I gotta get this done so Victor can be at a nice comfortable one hundred below." I smiled and nodded saying farewell to Fries as I shut the door. I walked back across the bridge where Gorian was giving orders to a few guards. I stepped up beside him and said nothing about me going with Rex, I don't think he even noticed.

Lawrence returned and opened the door to Fries' cell. "Here you go Bossman," he said handing a pack to Rex. Rex thanked him and began tightening screws and pressing buttons to test it out.

"Hang on Fries, just a bit longer," Rex told him with a positive sound to his voice.

"I must…thank you…for this…" Fries managed. "I'm not…usually this weak…" Rex smiled and said.

"I don't think I could count you weak now either." Victor smiled at him and blew cold air onto his hands to try and cool them off. "Hang in there man I'll get this fixed."

"When…did you learn…about your immunity….to the cold…?" Victor asked weakly, trying to keep himself awake. Rex figured this was what he was doing and replied.

"I don't really know, though I wouldn't exactly call it an immunity. I guess I figured it out when I was about ten or eleven. I walked out into the snow one day in only my underwear and couldn't feel the cold air, and it was twenty degrees outside." Victor laughed weakly.

"I remember…the first time…I felt the cool air…I was a child as you were…and I just couldn't get over…how good it felt…on my skin…" his strength was returning to him slowly but surely. "I remember wanting to…study this sensation…I wanted to know what it was like on a scientific level…so I started studying it in my…own ways." Rex smiled and nodded, not knowing that "in my own ways" was him referring to the fact that he froze animals solid as a child. Rex felt the chilling breeze spit from the machine at once. It gave him goosebumps but that was about it. He looked down at Victor who was smiling kindly. "Thank you," he said. When Rex was down off the bench Fries put his hand out. Rex took it and shook it happily. "Once again you've saved my life."

"Yeah," Rex said angrily looking at the cooling device. "I just wish they'd get a new one in here for you so you wouldn't be at so many risks of dying." Victor shook his head.

"It's fine, my friend. At least we can have conversations this way."

"That is a plus side." Rex replied with a smile. He shook his hand once again then left the cell to find Damian waiting there by himself. "Where's Gorian?" Rex asked coming across the bridge.

"He had to check on Bane's cell, it was a _necessity_," I said putting sarcastic emphasis on the last word. " Rex shrugged and said.

"Sorry man, but I gotta go to. Every time that thing breaks down I have to send in a written report to the Warden. I gotta head to my office. You gonna be okay by yourself?" He asked. I nodded and smiled.

"I'll be fine, you go ahead." He took off down the hall and turned right towards his Penitentiary Office. I sighed and looked around. I looked at the plaques in front of the cells to see who all was in them and found one of special interest. It didn't have a real name on it but it was definitely a big name. I looked at his cell and I could feel the evil from it. "So…" I said slowly. "_This _is the Joker's cell, eh?" And as I turned and walked away, I could've swore I heard a dark and maniacal laugh from inside.

I found my way down the halls and found myself in a hexagonal room with only one cell. It was a reinforced glass cell with a pink glow about it. Then I realized that the pink was something in the air. I couldn't see anyone inside through the frilly shroud so I stepped closer to get a better look. A dark form seemed to appear as I got closer; a thin, curvy form that I assumed was a female. I was right. A beautiful woman with curvy hips, firm breasts, long visible legs, short red hair, and _green skin_ appeared before me. She had lush lips and soft-looking skin. Her eyes were green and beautiful; a man could get lost in them, and probably had before. I was looking at Pamela Lillian Isley, aka _Poison Ivy_.

"Oh…" she breathed sensually, sounding impressed. "You're the new doctor eh? That's interesting. Such a handsome, strong one as well." I didn't show signs of interest. "What brings you to my cold and lonely cell, doctor? Are you here to search me? Are doctors allowed to do _full-cavity_ searches? Oh well, if you insist." She smiled at me and I only smiled back like I did with all inmates.

"Hello Ms. Isley," I said with no sign of sexual interest. "How are you?" I asked.

"Oh no need to be so formal, doctor. I like you, you can call me Ivy." She smiled sensually again. Okay so even I can't resist the body and smile but I didn't let it show to the best of my ability, which I did pretty well I think.

"I'm not going to fall for it Ms. Ivy," I told her with a small smirk. "I'm not as foolish and naïve as the other doctors here at Arkham. The men, anyway." I smiled. Her smile however didn't fade.

"Don't be that way, Dr. Rykotsu," she said, I didn't show that her knowing my name surprised me, though it did. "I seem to have fallen for you, Doctor, and only you. Will you join me in my cell?"

I sighed and said. "Give it a rest Ms. Ivy. I told you I'm not falling for it." I smiled at a thought. "Though you wouldn't have any power over me, I'm afraid." This seemed to catch her attention and this time her smile did fade.

"What do you mean doctor?" She asked without the sensuality.

"Your pheromones, the very ones you used to seduce and mesmerize men," I said blatantly. "They'd have no power over me." I thought about that statement and said. "And it's not because I'm gay." She frowned.

"You overestimate yourself doctor. My pheromones work on all men, they've even worked on the Batman. What makes you think, for a second, that you'd be of stronger will than him?" She cocked an eyebrow and put on a cocky smile. I put my face closer to the glass so my nose was nearly touching the glass.

"I've tested them out before," I whispered to her dramatically. I winked at her and she began to anger.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Okay, so this is what happened," I began. "I was walking on the sunny streets of Gotham one day and I was knocked aside by a very out-of-place and massive vine. It seemed to appear out of the concrete of Gotham's very own streets. Well, getting to my feet, I saw the Batman appear out of nowhere faster and much quieter than the vine. And who do I see him doing battle with but…_you_?" I smiled and said. "Well I watched your battle and finally, using some kind of experimental weed-killer to finally knock you unconscious and kill your plants. Well before a crime-scene was set up I saw floating particles in the air that…uh…well…it affected me _sexually_." I coughed and turned away to hide my reddened face. "Well, intrigued by the effects of the dust, I took it home in a little container and found it was the very pheromones you use to hypnotize your victims. Odd right?" She wasn't happy about this at all, but she let me continue. "So I had a friend of mine examine them and make copies with the same effect, only more potent, hoping to come across some sort of immunity. You see, I kept inhaling the pheromones suffering the urges of the flesh every time." I cleared my throat as my face reddened. "Once I actually tied myself down because the urges were so bad…_Ahem…_anywho, I finally inhaled so much that one day the urges seemed less than usual, then the next tries they lessened more and more until the effects of your pheromones were no longer sending me into crazed aroused furies! Cool huh?" I winced at the sight of her anger then cleared my throat and said. "I may find you attractive, Ms. Ivy," I said calmly collecting myself. "But, as I said, you have _no_ power over me." I winked again.

"You're bluffing!" Ivy exclaimed furiously. "I don't believe you. There's no way a man could become immune to my pheromones. It's impossible!" I sighed with a smile and began entering a code into her cell's keypad. "What are you doing?" Her voice had a twinge of interest in it.

"I want to show you that I am actually immune to your pheromones. Sorry, Ms. Ivy, but I'm gonna have to ask you to step back." She smiled and walked, hips swinging, to the back of her cell and leaned forward for me to get a good look at the green underwear she wore instead of pants. I gulped as I entered the cell and said. "Okay, Ms. Ivy, you can stop leaning against the wall now." She raised up slowly as I watched every muscle move. She walked over to me and I watched her curves bounce and I couldn't help but flush. She was right in front of me, only much shorter. I could smell all kinda of scents coming from her body and it made me think of good thoughts then I smelled something else, a weird aroma, yet familiar. Then I realized it was the pheromones that she had just blew into my face. I inhaled every last one. I felt my body warm but the blood coursing through my veins didn't boil like they had the first time I tried it. I smiled down at her and she smiled back, thinking it worked.

"Now…" she said. "Give me a kiss, doctor." I smiled and leaned down and touched my lips to hers. Our kiss was long and warm. She then inserted her tongue into my mouth and touched mine. We kissed passionately for about five minutes when she broke the kiss and rubbed her mouth. "My, my, what a wonderful kiss."

"Thanks," I said with a smile and a wink. Her face morphed to shock and then anger. "Nope," I said. "No effect." I laughed and ducked as she swung at me. She growled and took another swing but this time I grabbed her wrist skillfully. "Stop doing that! I didn't come in here to fight, well I didn't _exactly _expect a kiss either but at least that was a plus." I winked again. I released her wrist and walked towards the door.

"Wait!" She said. "Don't leave yet." I turned and saw her green skin was flushed. I cocked an eyebrow. Then she looked surprised like she didn't know she said it. "What did I say? Get out!" I was confused but did as she said and exited the cell. I then punched in the code to lock the door. She put her back against the wall breathing heavily and slid down to sit. "What are you?" She asked. I was worried at her reaction. I merely shrugged and walked off before things got weirder.

"Where've you been?" Lilly asked not looking up from her paperwork as I stepped into her office. I was still flushed but hid it as I sat down in front of her desk.

"Just walking around seeing the sights," I told her controlling my breathing.

"I see," she said drolly. "God I hate paperwork!" She said throwing the file she was working on down and leaning backwards. "New inmate's files. Why do they send them to Arkham? Why not Blackgate? This is an Asylum not a prison!" She looked at me. "You look like hell what happened to you?" I looked up at her surprised.

"Oh nothing, thought I'd go for a jog around the courtyard, been a long time ya know?" She smiled and said.

"Don't strain yourself, kid." We laughed and I got up.

"Well, I think I'll go ahead and take a nap, still got two hours before my interview with Croc and I'm a bit tired. You mind sending Stone or Gorian up to wake me up?" I asked.

"That's what an alarm clock's for," she said with a laugh. "There should be one already in your room. Just be mindful not to sleep in. The higher-ups hate it when interview sessions are missed due to neglect." She turned around to read a file and I bowed and left.

I sat in my bed without a shirt and my face in my palm thinking of what Ivy had asked before I'd left. "What are you?" What kinda of question is that? What did she mean? I thought about going and asking her personally but I wasn't sure if I'd be lucky enough to find the guards off duty again anytime soon. "Wait…" I said aloud. "Why were the guards gone?" I lay down in my bed and looked up at the ceiling. "Damn guards, _their_ neglect is going to get them killed, or worse, someone else!" I shook my head as it lingered back to the kiss. _Stop!_ I thought to myself. _It wasn't _that_ great of a kiss!_ But I couldn't' exactly think that. It was the best kiss I'd ever had and the warmth of her tongue was unlike anything else. It was _amazing_! I kept thinking of the kiss until I finally passed out…


	3. Chapter 3: Damian's NoNo

Chapter 3: Damian's No-No

**Damian Rykotsu: **So Mr. Jones, how are you today?

**Killer Croc:** What's it to you, doc?

**Damian Rykotsu:** (laughs)…well I'd like to know, I am your psychiatrist after all.

**Killer Croc:** Shut the fuck up before I rip your balls out through your mouth…(laughs)…

**Damian Rykotsu:** Why so hostile today Mr. Jones? Are you okay?

**Killer Croc:** I gotta headache…guess why…

**Damian Rykotsu:** That collar I'm assuming…I'm very sorry about it, if you'll believe me. I wish I could take it off but my brother is fairly adamant about you wearing it for my safety.

**Killer Croc:** Smart guy…(laughs)…

**Damian Rykotsu:** I see…well…(yawns)…

**Killer Croc:** What's the matter, _doc_? Didn't sleep well last night or something?

**Damian Rykotsu:** …(laughs)…my apologies Mr. Jones, you see I just woke up not to long ago and I didn't sleep well then either. I'm sorry about that. So, we left off last time with you attacking one of your childhood tormentors correct?

**Killer Croc: …**

**Damian Rykotsu: **I guess this session will begin with you in the reform school they sent you after said incident. How was the reform school for you Mr. Jones?

**Killer Croc:** Just as fucked up as the school before it…I was tormented there too. Beatings came daily, nasty words were said. Any other wound you wanna open before I rip your face off like a mask…_doc_?

**Damian Rykotsu:** I'm sorry Mr. Jones, I didn't mean to insult you or bring up painful memories. Please accept my humblest apologies.

**Killer Croc:** Whatever…what do you want?

**Damian Rykotsu:** Well…since the Reform School is just a threshold of bad memories let's move to something that might cheer you up a bit…hm? The murders you committed after you graduated. Would you like to talk about them?

**Killer Croc:** So you can tell me that I was wrong and that I disgust you?

**Damian Rykotsu:** I'm not going to say that…

**Killer Croc:** No, of course you won't not out loud anyway. Every doctor fucking thinks it when they talk to me and don't try to tell me your different cause I assure you, _doc_, you're _not_!

**Damian Rykotsu:** But I _am_ different Jones, I swear! I don't want to change you and there's nothing about you that needs to be cured, to me your fine the way you are. I'll tell you the truth…I wanted to be the one to interview you and only you because when I read your dossier and it made me think of myself. I know that's selfish but I wanted to meet you and get to know you. As corny as this may sound Jones, I wanna be your friend more than your Psychiatrist or whatever.

_(Jones Growls)…Chair legs slide across floor…hands slam on table…_

**Killer Croc: **What kinda bullshit are you trying to force into my head? Friend! Don't bullshit me _doc_, I know the only reason you took mine is cause you wanted the challenge to line your _fucking_ pockets! You should be cautious you little shit…I've got your scent and I will find you and rip you _apart_!

_Electricity buzzes…Croc roars in pain as the door opens…_

**Gorian Rykotsu: **Get away from him Damian! Stay down Croc!

**Damian Rykotsu:** Gorian please you're hurting him! Stop it!

_Electricity stops…Croc breathes heavily…_

**Damian Rykotsu: **Leave! Now! You're not helping the situation!

**Gorian Rykotsu:** What the fuck are you talking about? He'll kill you if I don't get him under control—

**Damian Rykotsu:** Leave! I'm alright now please…

_Door closes…Croc's breathing continues…_

**Damian Rykotsu: **I'm so sorry about that Mr. Jones. I've told them not to do that when I'm with you in here. I hope you'll forgive me.

**Killer Croc:** For what?

**Damian Rykotsu:** For getting you so angry. I didn't mean to I swear. Please forgive my ignorance. If you'd like to stand that's fine, if you'd like to sit that's fine too, whatever makes you comfortable.

**Killer Croc:** Why do you talk to me like a person? Even after all the shit I've done? What are you after?

**Damian Rykotsu:** I told you…you're trust and friendship…god that's gotta sound so fucking corny…but it _is_ true…whether you believe it or not.

**Killer Croc:** Time's up doc…

**Damian Rykotsu:** Shit…yes you're right. Time is up…(sighs)…alright Mr. Jones. Unfortunately we won't have another interview for about two to three days. They don't want me interviewing you everyday…which I'd prefer to honestly. I enjoy our conversations.

**Killer Croc:** …

**Damian Rykotsu:** Gorian you can get him now if you'd like!

_Click…Interview ends…_

I sighed as I sat up in my bed the next day. I wanted to talk to Killer Croc to make sure he was alright after the interview but my next interview wasn't until the day after tomorrow and I wasn't allowed to visit his cell unless for an emergency. I rubbed my eyes and turned over to sleep a little longer, seeing that it was five o'clock in the morning. I closed my eyes and fell asleep…

"What's the matter?" Lilly asked at her desk as I sat there in front of it. "You seem a bit depressed."

"Eh…I'm just kinda bored. I've done all my reports and paperwork and now, without interviewing Croc, I'm bored with nothing to do." I sighed and resituated myself in my chair.

She leaned back in her desk chair and slipped her hands behind her head. "Well, maybe I should go ahead and appoint you another interviewee. Apparently Croc isn't enough for your insatiable appetite to probe and annoy." She laughed and smiled starting to type on her computer.

"No," I said. "I only want to interview Croc for now. It will show him that he's my main concern and that I'm only interested in him. Therefore, I'm hoping that he'll begin to trust me as he learns that he's the only '_interviewee_' for me." I sighed and situated myself again. Lilly sighed as well and shrugged saying.

"Well, then find _some way_ to entertain yourself." She spun in her chair and got to her feet. "You can't just come into my office every time you're bored, Damian." She walked over to me and put her hand on my shoulder. "You've gotta find something to do." I sighed and stood as well. I hugged her and said.

"Okay, I'll find some way to entertain myself for the time being." She smiled and kissed my forehead, having to stand on her toes to do so.

"Good," she said. "Now go on, I've got work to do and you seem to distract me. Seeing as how you _are _much more interesting than paperwork." She winked at me and I smiled. I walked out of her office and down the hallway. I found my way into the courtyard again and started for the Penitentiary. I had an idea that would, more than likely, get me into trouble. But I didn't care, I wanted to talk to Croc again. Even if that meant going straight to him.

I stepped up to Croc's cell, the big security safe door was being guarded and the two guards, upon recognizing me, opened the cell straight away. "Thank you gentlemen," I said with a smile to each of them. "Tell me if you see my brother coming, _before _you let him in, preferably." I walked in and saw the large thick glass barrier in front of the large, terrarium like cell. I couldn't see Croc but I knew he was under the water. I looked around and saw a large intercom button behind me. I pressed it, held it, and said. "Mr. Jones, it's Damian, can I speak with you? Would that be alright?" I waited for him to respond. I didn't hear the intercoms in the cell so I wasn't sure if he'd actually heard me or not. I was about to try again when I saw the surface of the water move and begin to ripple. I smiled and walked over to the glass with my hands behind my back.

The green giant stepped out from the water and he worked his way over to me. I smiled at him, but he scowled at me. "What the hell do you want doc?" He asked snarling and growling low enough for me to hear through the holes in the glass.

"Can you hear me okay?" I asked with a smile.

"I hear you fine if I'm right next to the glass," he snarled. "What the fuck do you want?" I smiled again and said.

"I'd like to conduct our next interview here in your cell, if that would be alright with you?" I smiled at him but he wasn't happy.

"Why? What the hell do you have to gain from that?" He growled and hummed like a male crocodile does when attracting a mate. It wasn't the same thing for him but it was fairly intimidating.

"You're comfort," I replied with the same smile. "I'd like you to be as comfortable as possible and this seems like the most comfortable place for you in Arkham. Am I correct?" I asked.

He looked around his cell as though he'd never seen it before then grinned. "Sure, doc, this would be the most comfortable place to be." He leaned down so his face was level to mine. "Would you like to come in? I'll show you around if you want." I smiled and said.

"If you want." My reply surprised him more than anything. He nearly jumped back. I only smiled kindly up at him. "I wouldn't mind taking a look at your cell. If you were comfortable with it." My naivety was at maximum as I entered the key code into the pad and the door unlocked. I stepped in and looked around. I was so intrigued by the cell and the scenery, though it was morbid, that I didn't notice how completely pissed Croc was. He was snarling in anger and when I finally noticed I asked. "Is something wrong, Mr. Jones?" I only realized later how stupid that probably sounded.

"I don't like being mocked!" He roared and grabbed my throat with one hand and hoisted me into the air. He slammed my back against the reinforced glass and growled. "You think you're brave? You think you can waltz in _my_ cell with your head held high and I'd just let you? You don't even have guards to save you if I decided to bite your head off." I couldn't breathe. I was terrified, of course, but I tried to keep strong, while also trying not to shit my pants. I grabbed at his hand and tried to speak.

"Pl…Please Mr.…J-J-Jones…I did-didn't…mea-mean-mean anything…b-by…it…hon-hon-honest-honestly…" tears flooded my eyes as I began to lose consciousness.

"No?" Croc roared holding me close to his face, I could smell the rotting meat on his breath, which didn't help my terror, or my dizziness. "You think I want you as a friend?" He snarled. "You think I want you to help me? I DON'T!" He threw me to the ground and walked back to his pool. "Now GET OUT!" He jumped into the water with a huge splash. I felt a bit of the water trickle on my face. I got to my feet, coughing up blood. I walked out and ran past the guards.

I looked into the mirror of my bathroom and saw the tears cascading down my face. I wasn't scared anymore, I was in pain. Every few minutes I'd spit blood into the sink, worried that the internal bleeding I felt in my throat wouldn't stop.

The shower in my bathroom was large and flat bottomed so I could sit on the tiles. The tears had stopped but I couldn't stop hyperventilating. Every now and again I'd have to stop breathing. I'd take deep breaths but then the blood would leak from my lips and the fast breathing would start. I didn't know what I was going to do. I didn't want to interview him. I started to see what Croc truly was. He was a murderer. A monster. Something I wanted dead. He was no longer a person to me. He was just an animal that had learned to speak in a Cajun accent.

Tears of anger fell from my eyes as I stood up and began to wash myself off. I washed the blood and grime from Croc's cell off my body and kept thinking the same words to myself in my mind. _Monster, Killer, Creature, Not-Human, Murderer…Murderer?_

That's when it occurred to me. _He…He didn't kill me…_ The words repeated themselves over and over in my brain. _He didn't kill me…He didn't kill me…He didn't kill me? He didn't kill me. He didn't kill me!_ I got out of the shower and wiped the fog from the mirror to expose my face. Then, again, I repeated, aloud this time.

"He didn't kill me!" I laughed and got dressed and went downstairs into Lilly's office. She wasn't there, probably had turned in for the night, and I found the dossier on Croc. I went through it and it mentioned "**Complete Disregard for Human Life**" in bold letters. I read the caption underneath it. "Waylon Jones has been committed for many reasons, the worst being his multiple accounts of first-degree murder. Jones has shown complete apathy to the human's threshold for pain. He has never hesitated to kill anyone of his victims," I read the next line aloud. "_Especially those who have achieved making him angry_!" I laughed again, put the dossier back in its place and ran back to my room. I sat down on my bed and laid back against the wall with my hands behind my head. I smiled up at the ceiling. "Never hesitated to kill anyone of his victims, eh?" I knew, technically, I wasn't one of his victims, per say, but I was alone and completely vulnerable in his cell today. "He didn't kill me, and my head was practically on the block! I knew I was making a connection. I just knew it!" I smiled and closed my eyes. Swiftly falling asleep…


	4. Chapter 4: A Dark Epiphany

To all of those who stayed with me even though I was a jerk and stop writing on this story: thank you so much for your adds and reviews, please PLEASE add some reviews if you have the time, i love knowing what i'm doing wrong and what could be changed, i love helpful contstructive criticism, you guys are awesome please enjoy this chapter and the ones after.

Its kinda short and chapter five's on the way, but here is _**CHAPTER FOOOOOUR**_!

Chapter Four:

The Dark Epiphany

I woke up late that day, my throat was still soar from the previous night and I really didn't want to get up, but I had to when I saw the message on my phone from Lilly. It read: "_Damian, come to my office ASAP there's something we need to discuss. -Lilly._" I sighed, followed by a groan. I got up, got dressed, poured a glass of chocolate milk, and I headed down to my sister's office.

Gorian was there to meet me. He gave a small smirk and I replied with a smile. Stone stepped up behind me and greeted me with. "You look like hell shit a brick." I turned and smiled.

"Good to see you too, Stone." I turned back to Gorian. "Where's Rex?" Gorian looked at me with worry.

"Fries' solitary chamber's AC is acting up _again_. Rex went to go fix it _again_." I cocked an eyebrow and pondered for a moment. "Lilly wants to see you immediately so you'd better get in there," he told me interrupting my train of thought.

"Oh, right, sorry," I replied nodding to my brothers and entering the door behind Gorian. "Close the door," Lilly said smiling at me as I entered. It was a warm smile that reminded me of my younger years as a child, obsessed with dinosaurs and knights. "Sit please." I did as instructed and sat in one of the chairs before her desk.

"Is everything okay Lilly?" I asked with genuine concern. "I'm not in trouble am I?" Lilly giggled and shook her head.

"No, you're not in trouble, but _I_ am," she said calmly with the same smile. I got a little carried away when I asked.

"What's wrong? Are you okay? If there's something wrong let me-"

"Oh my god shut up you worry-wart!" Lilly laughed leaning back in her chair. "I'm fine physically, mentally, and sexually thank you." I cocked an eyebrow. "But staff-wise I am not!" She sighed and said. "Now, we've discussed your little facination with Croc but-"

"What's wrong with Jones? Is he oka-"

"Let me finish!" Lilly shouted throwing an eraser at my head. I rubbed the soar spot and frowned, but remained quiet. "Jones is fine, I'm fine, Batman's fine, our city is fine but I'm starting to worry about your mental stability." She laughed and continued. "Now then, I know we've discussed that you want Croc and Croc only, I get that, hell, I understand that. But we need..._I_ need you to do me a favor." I nodded with a curious look. "One of our psychiatrists has been admitted into the local Gotham Hospital. You see, he was poisoned by one of the inmates."

"Oh my god," I expressed with genuine concern. "Is he going to be okay? Who was he?"

"His name was Dr. Nathan Emmerson. And we won't know his current physical status until tomorrow. My point being," she continued. "Is that he must be replaced and, unfortunately, we're running far too low on staff to replace him with anyone...but you..." she stared me down for my reaction, which was of disappointment. "I know, but it isn't fair that we put another psychiatrist on the job while you only have one interviewee. That's why I need you to do this for me, Damian, just until we can get someone else on it, or Dr. Emmerson gets back. Please. I think you'll be fairly interested in the patient." I looked up at her in cautious curiosity.

"Who is it?" I asked quietly.

"Former-Doctor Dr. Harleen Francis Quinzel, A.K.A _Harley Quinn_. It seems Ms. Quinzel got her hands on Pamela Isley's poison spores, some how, and she used it to poison Dr. Emmerson. I need you to do a few interviews with her; they're long overdue and I'm getting my ass chewed out because of it. Please Damian, for me." I sighed. "I mean, think about it, even if she somehow gets her hands on those spores, its not like you'll have any problems." I looked up at her with a bit of concern.

"What do you mean?" I asked in a subtle frenzy.

"I mean you're _obviously_ immune to Isley's spores, right?" I blushed wildly. She had seen me! That night, with Poison Ivy, she saw me kiss her. She saw the look on my face and smiled. "Don't worry, I'm not going to blackmail you into this, I'm just asking for a favor. A favor for your big sister. Whataya say?" I smiled and nodded.

"Okay, I'll do it. Just...don't tell Gorian about Ivy and myself, please," I muttered bashfully. "He'd give me all sorts of hell for it." She put her hand up in silent promise, as she did when we were much younger.

I stood to walk out when she said. "Damian; be careful please, Quinzel may not be matched with Isley when it comes to seduction, but she has methods all her own to seduce men, don't fall for them." I smiled and nodded.

"Don't worry, she won't get in here," I assured her tapping my head. I turned to walk out again.

"...and Damian," she said stopping me again. I turned and gave her a look, softened by a smile. "Thanks for this." She smiled, I smiled, and I walked out the door.

"You'll do it then?" Gorian asked greeting me at the door.

"Yeah, I said I'd do it," I replied with a sigh. "But I sure as hell won't like it." He smiled and nodded.

"You don't have to. The interview will begin in about two hours, so get yourself ready," he said with a bit of concern in his voice. I smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

"I'll be fine, Gorian, don't worry about me, okay?" He smiled and nodded.

I watched the smoke from the cigarette spiral spuratically into the air with subtle amusement. I took a breath of smoke and let it free into the dry, summer air. There was a knock at the sliding door behind me and Rex walked onto the balcony with me. "Hey man, what're you doing out her?" He asked. I smiled at him and said.

"Smoking a cigarette."

"Why?" He asked. I laughed.

"Because I needed the nicotine."

"No, I mean what's the matter?"

I smiled. "You could always read me like a book Rex. I guess I'm worried about Croc. Upon our last meeting I upset him quite heavily. I want to go to him and apologize. I don't want him to be angry with me, I want him to trust me."

"Jeeze man," Rex retorted. "You sound like a spouse, you gotta thing for Jones? Something you wanna tell me?" We laughed as I shook my head.

"No," I assured him. "The only beings on this earth that can peak my interest in that category are women." I winked at him and took another hit from my cigarette.

"Just be careful with him, man. You may not believe it, but he's a stone-cold killer that couldn't give two shits or a fuck about you or your physical well-being." I wanted so bad to tell him about my visit with Croc the previous night but if I did he'd freak out and go to Gorian. I couldn't have them hurt Croc. I only nodded.

"Don't worry," I told him. "I'll watch myself."

"Good, otherwise I'd be stuck with Stone and you can't do that to me!" I laughed louder than I'd originally wanted. "I mean it man! Don't do that shit to me!"

I rubbed my forehead in stress. I didn't want to be here at the moment, I wanted to be interviewing Jones, not Quinzel. But I gritted my teeth and sat there in the interview cell with my tape recorder, clipboard, and paperwork in front of me. I drank from my mug of hot chocolate and waited for my patient to arrive.

(_click_)

**Damian Rykotsu**: Ahem…this is…uh…Damian Rykotsu for the psycho-evaluation of the former Dr. Harleen Francis Quinzel. She has proceeded in poisoning one of the fine doctors at this establishment and, in doing so, incarcerated him for an unknown amount of time.

_Knock on door…_

**Damian Rykotsu**: Yes…?

**Stone Rykotsu**: Yo, we got her here if you're ready Damian?

**Damian Rykotsu**: Yes, please, bring her in.

_Chains rattle…footsteps enter…door shuts…_

**Harleen Quinzel**: Wow! You're much younger than my last doctor, or are you? I can't really tell with the snowy white hair. How old are you?

**Damian Rykotsu**: I am twenty-eight Ms. Quinzel. And you?

**Harleen Quinzel**: Now, now, doc…a girl never reveals her age to strangers. If you wanna know _that _kinda info, you'll have to get better acquainted first.

**Damian Rykotsu**: Yes…well…let's begin. Now, it says here that you, like many others in this establishment, have "_Complete Disregard for Human Life_." Is that about right Ms. Quinzel?

**Harleen Quinzel**: Not all life, doc, just the lives of worthless pieces of trash like you!

**Damian Rykotsu**: Okay, let's start there Harley. Now you say you have no regard for human life, but what about the Joker? You seem to appreciate him just fine, in fact in many of your dossiers it states that you have, and I quote, "a strong mental and spiritual attraction" for him. If this is true, well…the Joker, contrary to what many believe, is human indeed.

**Harleen Quinzel**: You shut up about Mr. J, doc. If he were here with me, he'd box your jaw for saying that kinda stuff about him. He's not human, he's a god!

**Damian Rykotsu**: And…you _really_ believe that don't you…? Wow, tell me Harley, what was it about the Joker that made you fall for him in the first place? Was it his looks? Couldn't be that, he wears all that makeup, you can't even _see_ his face. Maybe the wicked sense of humor? That's possible I suppose. Or maybe…maybe the mixture of physical compliments and the presence of freedom completely clouded your mind from logic…is that Ms. Harley? Have I come close?

…_(Harley Snores_)…

**Harleen Quinzel**: Oh I'm sorry, are you done? Jeeze you praddle on more than my last doctor, wait…nevermind he was _much _worse. That's why I poisoned the bastard, he wouldn't shut the fuck _up_!

…_silence…_

**Harleen Quinzel**: What? Why are you looking at me like that? Stop it, its startin' to creep me out. WHAT?

**Damian Rykotsu**: (laughs)…sorry Ms. Quinzel, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I merely was admiring your pretty face and wondering something to myself.

**Harleen Quinzel**: …what's that…?

**Damian Rykotsu**: How did the Joker manage to get so lucky? He's a psychopath by trade and not at all attractive in physical, mental, or spiritual means. And yet here is his partner. Blonde hair, blue eyes, long legs, luscious curves, if you'll excuse my choice of words, and a bust that any woman would die for. How did the Joker get as lucky as he is? And I must wonder…in a few Dossiers and Police Reports it says that, in the midst of the crimes you and he committed, there were often times when he left you to the police to cover his own ass. How could he do that to you?

**Harleen Quinzel**: I'm sure he—

**Damian Rykotsu**: And with everything you've done for him? How could he just leave you to serve life sentences and then only break you out when its beneficial to himself. Don't you think your opinions and judgment should matter to him? Don't you think, after all the times you stuck your neck on the chopping block, that he'd be a little more appreciative than he's been?

…_silence_…

**Harleen Quinzel**: I'm...he's a genius...he has a good reason...I—

**Damian Rykotsu**: Has a good reason? He has a good reason? Are you kidding me? Ms. Harley you're a beautiful young woman at the prime of her life who has practically dedicated her body, heart, and soul to this man and he treats you like garbage, or less. How can you stand to even look at him after the _first_ time he left you for the police? He's a self-centered, tyrannical narcissist. You deserve better, and that means you deserve a life that's not criminal, one that doesn't get you arrested every day. And, most of all, you deserve a man that will treat you how every woman should be treated.

_...silence..._

**Damian Rykotsu**: Ms Qui—

_...chair slides...feet scuffle..._

**Harleen Quinzel**: I'll fucking kill you!

_...door opens..._

_(click)_

Gorian and Stone rushed through the door as Quinn made her way around the table. Before they could even get to her she was on me, she threw a punch at my face but, in a rush of adrenaline, I grabbed her wrist, I admit I was going for catching her fist like in the movies but I missed. In a flash I lifted her off the ground and put her back-down onto the table. Gorian and Stone gawked at me. "Leave, I can take care of myself," I said calmly holding her hands down on the table. "Lend me another pair of handcuffs please."

"Right," Stone said throwing a pair of handcuffs. I caught them and cuffed her hand to the leg of the table, which was bolted to the floor. "C'mon Gorian he's got this." Stone pushed Gorian out of the room and winked at me before closing the door.

"Let me go!" Harley Quinn screamed. "I will call rape if you even think about touching me you bastard! You'll pay for what you said about Mr. J! You'll die and I'll be the one burning your corpse!"

"Shut up!" I demanded a bit louder than I meant. "Look, you're obviously having doubts about him, that's why you lashed out like you did. Ms. Quinzel, you're not thinking straight. I heard your interview tapes, you obviously fell for him cause he made you feel special. That I understand, what I don't is the fact that you still possess feelings for the maniac, even after everything he's done to you! Would you please find a bit more self-respect than that?"

"What about you?" Harley shouted. "Handcuffing me! Yelling at me! Belittling me! How are you any different?" I was silent. She was right. I abused her, slammed her on a table and now I've handcuffed her to the table leg like a hostage. How was any different from the villains locked up here in the asylum. "How are you any—"

I bent down and unlocked the handcuffs. She looked at me with her blue eyes. Her blonde hair was messy from the struggle but she was still as beautiful as ever. "What ar—"

"I don't mean to be the same as him..." I mumbled with my back turned to her. "You're right, the way we treat you here at the Asylum, though it's self-defense, we still treat you inmates like monsters, when you're not. We're no better...please..." I raised my voice. "Gorian, please take Ms. Quinzel back to her cell..."

I sat in my bed looking up at the dark ceiling. I had only my small bedside lamp lit as I recollected what had occured earlier. I was in such a struggle for my life I had completely forgotten my morals, what I had set out to accomplish; treating the inmates like people instead of villains, animals, or monsters. I thought about the way the guards activated the collar on Croc's neck, the way they put each of them in cramped cells, they way they beat them if they failed to cooperate, it was sickening...I couldn't stand the thought...

"What the fuck am I thinking?" I asked myself sitting up. "I need to get my head straight or I might just do something I'll regret." I stood up and went into the kitchen. I poured a glass of chocolate milk and scratched my head thoughtfully. "I need to see Croc tomorrow." I finished my glass and set it in the sink. "I need talk to him...or..." I was unsure of what I _needed_. The thought that I felt lost when I wasn't talking to an inmate made me worried. I should be resting, smoking with my best friend or my brother, or drinking and playing cards with my sister. What was wrong with me? What was I...becoming...?


	5. Chapter 5: Old Friend, Old Enemy

Chapter 5:

Old Friend, Old Enemy

I looked around and saw nobody in sight. I touched my finger on the appropriate numbers and the door opened. I stepped inside and found the lights in the large cell were off. I walked up to the glass and looked inside. I couldn't see anything in the cell so I stepped over and flipped on the dim lights, hoping it wouldn't anger Croc too much. I stepped over to the cell waiting for the lights to click on, the lights didn't come on right away they were on a timer. When the first light clicked on I nearly fell backwards, Croc was standing up straight right in front of the glass. "Jesus! You scared the crap out of me, Jones," I laughed grabbing my chest.

"What are you doing her so early in the morning, doc?" Croc asked with a hint of anger in his voice.

I stood up straight and said. "I wanted to talk to you again. I wanted to let you know, personally, that our next interview will be tomorrow and I wanted to see if you were ready for it." Croc's small eyes narrowed making the hard to see. He growled loud enough for me to hear clearly.

"Why did you really come doc? You have a few guards out there to check whether or not I'll try to attack you? What are they waiting for? Why haven't they come to beat me yet?" He growled again.

"Because I haven't told anyone about our little collision the other night. No one knows about it but us." The confusion in his face was obvious but I didn't continue on the subject. "I want to apologize for last night by the way. I shouldn't have been so eager to enter your cell, I realize now that it probably seemed like I was mocking you but please know I wasn't at all. At the time my naivety was at an all time maximum, I thought you had started to trust me. I didn't realize til later that you were clearly mocking me." I laughed quietly. "Look, I admit that I was probably acting weird when it came to our interviews. I was trying the nice way to get you to like me, but I realize that, in your views, that's just mocking you. So, I'll stop acting like a worried parent or teacher and be more like a friend than anything else."

Croc obviously didn't know what to say but I didn't let him. "I'll see you tomorrow Croc. Take it easy." I went to walk out of the holding room but when the door opened Gorian and Stone stood before me with looks of rage on their faces.

Gorian grabbed my shirt collar and hoisted me up off the ground. "What the fuck are you doing here?" He roared. "You are not to be anywhere near the convicts after hours unless your a guard! If this lunatic got out he could fucking kill you!"

"If you wanna know how we knew?" Stone asked pointing upwards. "Video cameras set up in here dumbass." He leaned his back against the wall with his arms crossed and smiled.

"I have half a mind to fire your ass here and there, but unfortunately I can't, that's Lilly's job. Let's go, we're going to talk to her right n —"

"Get off of me!" I roared back. Gorian and Stone both stared at me. "Get the fuck off of me Gorian!" I grabbed his wrist and wrenched it away, which wasn't easy at all. "Listen to me now! I am not in need of your protection! I can handle myself just fine without you two, Lilly, and Rex constantly breathing down my fucking neck! If you people would leave me alone once and a while I might be able to earn Croc's trust! As I've always wanted to do! But no you guys always have to stop me from getting any closer to him! The only thing I wanted to do was get close to Croc and win his friendship but you guys keep thinking he's gonna hurt, maybe he will, maybe he won't! Who cares? If he does I'm willing to overlook it, I want him to finally have someone he can trust in his life because he's been tortured and tormented all his life, like me! If you'll give me a chance I could probably get him comfortable in his own skin! So stay out of it!"

I didn't even think about Croc, I walked straight out of the door and headed for my room in the Mansion. I walked through the halls of the penitentiary thinking only about what was said. I couldn't believe I had shouted at my brother like that! I never shouted at Gorian like that! I wasn't walking long before I passed by a cell with an all-to-familiar voice.

"You smell like fear…is there something wrong?" I turned and saw him, tally-marks etched into his skin, bald head, beady eyes with no soul, it was Victor Zsasz, the psycho of my nightmares. "Let Uncle Zsasz cure what ails you…just let me make a nice…clean…incision." I was speechless, I had always tried to avoid his cell. All the memories of Victor Zsasz started flooding back to me in a wave of pain and suffering to the point where I couldn't even breath. "Oh, the fear is strong in you, why so afraid my dear?" I managed to say.

"I-I'm n-n-not af-fraid of you-u…Zsasz…"

"Oh I disagree entirely," Zsasz chortled. "You positively _reek _of it!" I couldn't stand it anymore, I ran through the halls with Zsasz's laughter trailing behind me. The pictures flooded through my mind. Pictures of the aftermath, the therapy….and her….

I was cramped in my room that night, boxed into a little corner with my arms wrapped around my knees. Silent tears streamed down my cheeks as I breathed sporadically, trying to get myself together. "What's wrong with me?" I asked myself aloud. "I should be able to face him, it was nearly eight years ago…and yet it was playing so vividly through my head like it had happened only a mere second ago.

I sighed and stood from my bed. The waterworks had stopped so I went into the kitchen of my apartment/hotel room in the mansion to get something to drink. I had downed have the glass of soda when I heard a knock at the door. Without my know it, the glass fell from my hand and shattered on the floor right next to my foot. But I didn't feel a thing. I was terrified, I looked at the clock, it was one in the morning, who could it be? I had a feeling I hoped was wrong, Zsasz, Victor Zsasz had broke out of his cell to come after me, to finish what he started eight years ago. I tiptoed over to the door and looked out the peephole, it was too dark to see anyone, so I spoke.

"Who is it?" There was no reply. "Hello?"

"Open up, believe it or not its bloody cold out here in the hallway," the voice said in an articulate English accent, not heavy, but there. "Damian, are you going to let me in or not?" I couldn't believe my ears, it wasn't Zsasz, it was someone I hadn't seen in too long. I slung open the door.

"KAINAN!" I wrapped my arms around the matured, European Psychiatrist and said. "Where were you?" I released my grip and said. "How was your vacation?"

"Ugh…fine, now get off of me, I told you not to hug me like that, you're so gay," he said. I frowned.

"What is it gay to hug my best friend after so many months of not seeing him?" I asked.

"Kinda, yeah," he said with a hidden smile. "How have you been? How are you liking the job so far?"

"I love the job, and I've been fine," I replied with a smile. He was the dream-guy for many women ever since he was younger. Kainan Fall was a genius when it came to medical and psychological practices. He was shorter than my be almost a head and a half, he walked with a slouch but he had a very athletic body, with salty gray hair kept in a short ponytail in the back. He wore a button up white shirt, a gray argyle sweater vest over it, and a black tie. He wore a pair of gray khakis that complimented his thin legs. He was dressed nicely, he was what many women would call sexy, even for his age, thirty-seven, and could whoop your ass in a fight, drinking game, or card game. "Where'd you go for you vacation, Kainan?" I asked.

"I went to Ireland. True they don't very much like the English, but most of them were to bloody drunk to tell the difference," he said sitting down on the couch. "I didn't go for the people anyhow, I went for the magnificent scenery that Dublin had to offer."

"You want some coffee?" I asked. Kainan nodded excitedly, he loved coffee and tea more than anything else in the world. I got the coffee in the pot and started it so it would be done in about three minutes. I walked into the living room with Kainan. "So when did you g—"

"Damian, my god man your foot," Kainan said calmly. I looked down and saw my foot was tattered from the glass I had dropped, I was so excited and full of Adrenaline that I hadn't noticed.

"OW!" But now I did and it hurt like a bitch. "Shit, I forgot I dropped a glass when you knocked." I hobbled over to the chair in the living room and sat down and lifted my foot. Kainan rolled his eyes and grabbed my foot. He took a pair of tweezers out of his pocket, I know its weird he carries around medical equipment and the sort but it's Kainan you'll get used to it, and started pulling out shards of glass. I twitched and struggled from the pain but most of it was exaggerated. When all the pieces were out he took out some bandages from his bag he'd brought and wrapped my foot up quite professionally. "You wanna go ahead and shove a railroad spike in my heel while your at it? That hurt you asshole!" I said sitting up.

"My god you are a child aren't you?" He stood up and walked into the kitchen to get his coffee. Get some sleep, take a nice hot shower, and take a couple of pain killers in the morning, you'll be fine," he said pouring his coffee and drinking it straight black. He walked through the living room and to the door. He turned to look at me as he opened it.

"Don't let the inmates here get the best of you, in a job like this you have to completely stable, mentally, before you can even hope to survive in a job as fast-paced as this one. If you show any hint of mental frailty, you'll regret it direly in the long run." And with that he shut the door. I sighed and looked down at my foot.

"What am I going to do?" I asked myself twitching it. I stood up and limped to my room tiresomely. "First things first, sleep…" I blacked out as soon as my head hit my pillow.

"You wanted to see me Lilly?" I asked stepping into her office the next day. I looked around but she wasn't at her desk. I cocked an eyebrow and looked around her office. It seemed bigger than I remembered and her desk had a weird feeling to it, like it was warmer than usual. I opened the door and poked my head out. "Gorian where's Lil—Gorian…?" I looked to both sides of the door but neither Stone nor Gorian were anywhere in sight. I began to feel weird; they were just out there when I walked in. I didn't know what to think. I walked into Lilly's office again, shrugged off the weird feeling and sat in her chair, cautiously. I spun in the chair and laughed as the vertigo and dizziness kicked in. I spun again then stopped to get on her computer. I was going through the games that she had, seeing she had the high score on many of them, and finally decided to look something up on Croc. It was going to get me in trouble but for some reason I had to know something about him. I opened his dossier and the picture of Croc was weird. It was distorted like plastic left out in the blazing hot sun. I read the words on the folder but it didn't make sense it read: "Killer Croc was let out of prison today by a rambunctious, stupid, indecisive young man today, he doesn't know what to think and will probably be dead within the hour. Why did you go out for that job? Why didn't you leave your brothers and sister alone? You just had to get involved didn't you, _Damian_?" I was officially freaked out. Was this some kind of joke my sister was playing on me? Did she know I'd sit down at her desk? What's going on? Suddenly the picture of Croc morphed into a creepy arrow that pointed down. I cocked an eyebrow again then the words "LOOK DOWN STUPID FUCK!" appeared in big bright letters. I looked down and saw Lilly tied up under the desk with a large chain. Her mouth was bound as well and her eyes were empty. She was dead! She had lacerations all over her body. "LILLY!" I screamed diving from the chair and cradling my sister's corpse. "What have they done to you? NO!" I couldn't scream loud or hard enough. I wanted to die at that moment alone when I heard the same laugh that I had heard in the penitentiary the night before. I turned and saw a weird man with green scales on him and a bald head and tally marks etched into his skin all over his body. It was some mixture between Zsasz and Croc. It was a monster I'd only see in my nightmares. The beast grabbed a large bone and plunged it into my eye…then I woke up…

I shot up straight in my bed screaming at the top of my lungs. I looked around unsure of what was real. I got out of my bed and stumbled into the kitchen for something to drink. "What was that?" I asked referring to the dream. "What was that dream?" I finished off my drink and slept on the couch for the rest of the night.

I sat in the cafeteria at a table alone. I poked at my lunch but never stuck a piece in my mouth for the whole time. I was thinking of the dream when a metal tray slammed down on the table. I looked up and saw Stone sitting in front of me. "Hey," I said poking my food again.

"What's up?" Stone asked sitting down with some gross-looking slop on his tray.

"Are you eating the food they serve the convicts?" I asked with cocked eyebrow.

"Yep, it's not fair that we guards get all the good shit when those guys have to eat this." He started prodding at some green mush that gave off a strong odor I'd rather not talk about. "Plus, I've heard from reliable sources that this is the reason their so strong in the stomach and mind." I laughed.

"Who told you that?"

"Eh...Great White." He started scarfing the food down his throat and didn't show a single sign of repulsion, unlike me. "So what's bothering you? And why you eating alone?"

"Nobody here likes me," I said with a nervous chuckle. "Duh, I got this job because my brother's the chief of the guards, my best friend is head of engineering, and my sister's the fucking warden. Aside from that I only have one interviewee aside from Quinn and I doubt I'll be seeing her again, not after our last little situation." I sighed. "And I had a dream last night...a nightmare, actually. I don't wanna go into details but...I don't want to think about it as a vision or a premonition...but it was disturbing...I'd rather not talk about it right now."

"'Kay!" Stone said with a mouthful of slop. "Oh, Lilly wants you to know that you're interview with Croc is today." I nodded. We barely talked the rest of the time.

I walked through the corridors of the penitentiary with Rex. We walked from cell to cell until we got to the one I couldn't wait to get to, no not Croc's, Mr. Nigma. "Hello Edward," I greeted him. The Riddler stood up with the same finess and stepped up to the bars.

"Hello doctor," he said with a smile. "Here for another riddle?" I could tell he was excited by the anticipation in his voice.

"Of course, Mr. Nigma, please, let me hear it," I replied with a small smirk.

"Of course, but not just one, three today my good man. We'll start with an easy one, first." He cleared his throat and gave a toothy grin.

"Thirty white horses on a red hill,

First they champ,

Then they stamp,

Then they stand still."

"What is it, doctor? This is simple for one with intellect such as yours." I smiled at the complement then began to think. The answer came almost instantly, I'd read that poem in a book before.

"Teeth," I announced.

"Yes! Very good doctor, but it wasn't challenging enough for your intellect, that one was at the bottom of the endless treasure chest that is my mind."

"You got that one faster than I did," Rex said scratching his head. "I'm terrible at these." He laughed and continued his inspection on the wiring in his cell.

"That is because your intellect is far inferior to mine and the good doctor's here," Nigma stated bluntly. Rex gave him a nasty glare and continued his work.

"Next one, Edward, please I do enjoy them," I said getting gittier than I'd initially entended.

"Of course doctor. A bit more challenging this time."

He pondered for only a moment then stated his next riddle.

"I am the beginning of the end,

and the end of time and space.

I am essential to creation,

and I surround every place.

What am I?"

"I'm especially fond of this particular riddle, can you guess why?" I didn't say anything, I was too wrapped up in my thoughts to do so. I pondered on it for awhile. I had to becareful because I knew that he would be disappointed and perhaps even angry if I guessed wrong. I thought about it logically, I thought about what could be at the end of time and space, a few thoughts crossed my mind. _Stars, Vaccum, Nothingness_, but that wasn't at the beginning of "end". Nothing seemed to fit, then I thought about "creation" and "every place". Then it dawned on me but I didn't want to say it at first only because I wasn't sure if it would even be relevant to the answer. I took a breath and said. "The letter 'E'?"

"Excellent, Doctor!" Nigma announced excitedly. "Very well done. I thought I had you for a moment."

"You're not going to fool me that easily Edward," I said with a sly smirk.

"Oh, we'll see about that!" Nigma said with exciteded enthusiasm. "Last one and this one will be difficult, the most difficult of the three. You seemed to have trouble with the last one, let's see how you do with this." He smiled and said:

"I give you a group of three.

One is sitting down, and will never get up.

The second eats as much as is given to him, yet is always hungry.

The third goes away and never returns."

"Let us test your intellect with this difficult little riddle, doctor," Nigma gloated. At this point Rex was staring at me waiting for an answer, which wouldn't come to me. I sat there for what seemed like forever. I searched all possibilities. Sins, humans, animals, structures, women, weapons, items, and everything else I could think of. Suddenly I thought of elements. The second part of the riddle came to me. I just had to figure the other two parts of the riddle. I took my time and thought about what the second part's answer could relate to, I discovered the answer to the third part.

"C'mon Damian, you can figure this out," Rex encouraged quietly. "Just think about it, it'll come to you I know it."

The thoughts that entered my head made since but I knew for a fact that it wasn't the right choice. I wanted to just blurt out the answers that popped into my head but I knew better. I could only ponder. 'Sits still...', 'never stands up...'. I pondered for only a second more when it hit me. The first section of the riddle.

"In the order named: Oven, Fire, and Smoke," I announced with a bit of enthusiasm in my voice. Edward's face lit up almost instantaniously.

"Very well done Doctor! You are of great intellect! You are higher than even the batman himself! He himself, the one with the greatest riddle of all, 'Who is the Batman?' I want so much to figure out the answer to that riddle. Do you know the answer to the riddle, Doctor?" I laughed and shook my head.

"Unfortunately not, I myself have wondered the same thing, I think everyone has. If I find out, I'll let you know," I told him with genuine truth. Rex's stare was that of shock and a hint of suspicion, but Edward's was that of sheer joy.

"Oh I know you will doctor! I know you will, I trust you all the way!"

Later on Rex and I walked down the corridor. "Damian, you...were you serious when you told Nigma about Batman's identity?" I thought about it, I was serious! I honestly meant what I had said about that, I would've given Nigma his identity had I've known it at that time.

I didn't know what to tell him exactly. I couldn't tell him I was serious, but I've never lied to Rex. I opened my mouth but before I could speak a voice came from next to us.

"You smell like distress and fear..." my spine began to tingle. I knew the voice. "I can hear your heart skip a beat...I want to see it..." I turned to face Zsasz. "The fear is blatant in your eyes. I love it, it excites me. Have you seen my _work_? I'd love to pose you. Maybe with your friend there, although he wouldn't make that much of a trophy. But you..."

"Stop it Zsasz," Rex demanded with the dark voice he always took when he protected me from bullies back in school. "I will personally come in there and beat your ass, I don't care if it costs me my fuckin' job. Now cool it or I'll cool it for ya'!" Zsasz smiled and chuckled.

"Please do, I've been itching for-"

"Is Mr. Victor being unruley again?" Came a voice from behind. Zsasz's face turned from amusement to sheer terror. I turned to see Kainan, the Psychiatrist that came to my room last night. "Now, Mr. Zsasz, I've told you about your little problem haven't I? About how if you don't quit tormenting people that there would be severe consequences towards your actions...remember?" Zsasz cowered from Kainan, which gave me great joy. "Damian, I'd like a word with you, alone if I may?"

Rex nodded. "Sure thing, I gotta go check on Fries again, make sure his AC won't bug out anytime soon. I'll catch you assholes later." And with that Rex took off. Kainan gave one last glance to Zsasz, which freaked him out. I smirked and walked along the halls with Kainan.

"You seem to be doing well in your interviews with Croc," Kainan said walking with his hands behind his back. "Lilly's told me you've made satisfactory progress, more than anyone's ever made with Jones. Honestly, I'm impressed with your psychological capabilities. You should be careful not to lose them." I nodded listening closely to what he said. "That being said, you mustn't treat Jones like you would a child, it pisses him off even more. You must treat him like an equal. You're trying to show him that you wish to be a friend, this I understand, but if you want to reach him you need to treat him like a person he'd be friends with. Blunt, fiesty, and possess a sick sense of humor, exactly how he is. But don't try to hard or you'll come off fake and that's the last thing you wanna do." I nodded again. "I heard about your little tussel with Quinzel, that was unfortunate but you took necissary percautions and I respect that, however, you can reach her the way you did on the tapes, complement her prowess as a Psychologist, her independence, and of course her appearance. It's easy to connect with the inmates if you get into their heads and figure them out. Trust me." He smiled, showing the attractiveness in his face even more.

"Thanks Kainan," I said. "You've been a good friend and mentor these past few years, it's good to have a friend like youself. Thank you." Kainan smiled and nodded then walked off. When he had turned a corner and was out of sight I sighed and started shaking. I looked around and saw the cells around me were empty. I sat with my back against the wall and my face in my hands. Once again I was freaking out about Zsasz and I couldn't control my shaking. At that moment I wanted to put a bullet through my head. I couldn't stop thinking about "her". Her face kept showing up in my head and every time it did it wasn't the pretty face I wanted to remember. It was...disgusting...I just sat there for almost half an hour before realizing my interview with Croc was coming up. I sighed, wiped the tears from my eyes, then stood up. I walked through the halls of the penitentiary with only two thoughts on my mind, one: my interview with Jones, and two: the mental images of my torturing Zsasz until he was begging for death. And as I thought about the latter...I could feel a smile on my face...and then a small chuckle exited my lips...


	6. Chapter 6: Stress Relief

HI EVERYONE! sorry its taking me so long to post new chapters on this story, i'll be sure to work harder to update them so nobody forgets what the hell's happening in the story or looses interest, thanks and be sure to comment!

WARNING: This chapter contains one of the main reasons this Story is rated M. If anyone is offended, well, you shouldn't be offended and if you are for some reason then you shouldn't be on this site or the **internet** in the first place. ENJOY!

Chapter 6: Stress Relief

_...click_…

**Damian Rykotsu**: Taped patient interview number three. Doctor Damian Rykotsu interviewing Waylon Jones A.K.A. Killer Croc at…9: 47 am. I'm ready, send him in please.

…_door opens_…_chair legs scrape_…

**Damian Rykotsu**: Hello today Croc, I hope the session today wasn't too early for you. Was for me.

**Killer Croc**: Let's skip the bullshit Doc…what you said in front of my cell was all that shit and noise the truth?

_**...click… (Tape Ends)**_

"How did you—" I began.

"Stone, put his back against the speaker button the whole time…" Croc and I were quiet, I couldn't hold it for long as I burst into laughter. Croc himself began to chuckle softly. We only laughed for a minute or two but it was a good feeling being able to laugh again. I wiped a tear from my eye and smiled at him, asking a reluctant question.

"So…Croc…does this mean you trust me now?"

"Don't press your luck…" Croc replied with a bit of an aggressive undertone. "…it wasn't _that_ funny."

The whole time we were in the room it was quiet. I didn't know what to say and Croc just seemed to stare at me with his beady yellow eyes. He growled every now and again, I supposed he was thinking about something that upset him. I was tempted, every time he growled, to ask him what he was thinking about, but kept it to myself.

"Tell me about the circus," I said without even realizing it.

"What…?" Croc asked with a low growl. It was apparent that, even though we shared that laugh, Croc found himself getting too close to me and he knew he wouldn't be able to rely upon his usual actions were he to do so. So, I assumed, he reverted back to his aggressive nature for his own mental protection, he was _much_ smarter than the guards and other inmates gave him credit for. But he laughed, which meant he surrendered his guard for a moment, meaning two things, he was faking the laugh, or he was at a state where it almost felt like he needed, therefore, breaking at the bend.

"In your file, it says you went by the name: "Killer Croc", as a circus performer."

"Circus _Freak_," Croc corrected. "There's a difference. Me? I was a crocodile wrestler, they put two big snappers in the ring with me and we'd tussle it out for the audience's own twisted fantasies. They were every bit the freak as I was, and every bit the animals as the crocodiles." I took in what he said and had my head wrapped around the words, "every bit the freak I was, and every bit the animals as the crocs". It fluttered around my mind like a swarm of angry wasps, stinging at my outlook on life, driving me to almost…almost…believe that he was right, that humans were, _in fact_, animals.

Scared of how easily I started to believe him I shook the thought from my mind and moved on. But before I could, Croc said. "You're thinking an awful lot today, Doc…" I could tell there was a smile on his toothy maw. "If I'm not mistaken, I've seen that look before…"

"W-where…?" I asked hesitantly.

"On my own pretty mug," Croc said with a deep chuckle. "You're startin' to see the truth, Doc; you're startin' to see that, even though you are one, humans are animals that have opposable thumbs and the habit of speakin'. They're disgusting, vile; Poison Ivy'd say the same fuckin' thing! Ratcatcher, Joker, hell even Riddler. You see, people believe that we're into killing for the shear sexual pleasure of it 'er somethin of the sort, that ain't right…" Croc continued. "…we're in it 'cause we criminals hate you humans, that's why I've achieved perfection, cause I managed to leave my humanity in the bayous of Louisiana a long time ago." And though he was talking about losing his humanity, I could tell, for a fact, that most of it was returning to him, if only to educate me in his own belief system. He must've figured this out as well 'cause he stood up, growled, slammed the door with his fist and said. "We're done!"

"Croc wait," I said. Croc turned to look at me. "Thank you, I mean it, I…I think I'm starting to see…now…"

Croc smiled a toothy grin. "Good, then you're on your way, _Doc_…"

And with that the guards took him out of the room and back to his cell.

"You realize Lilly could get into a lot of trouble for this?" Gorian asked standing next to Lilly's desk, towering over it like a giant with his arms crossed. "You have got to check the recorder every time to see if it's still working. Otherwise we can't use it and we have to record over it and it's a pointless session."

"Leave us," Lilly said out of nowhere. "Stone, Gorian, Rex, leave us." The three of them looked at her with surprise. I said nothing and looked down at the floor. I was sidetracked by the thought of what Jones was saying about humanity. About how humanity was just a fancy word for a branch of the animal kingdom. About how it was lost, about how it was heartless, cruel…and how I agreed with every bit of it…but I didn't want to…I wanted to fight the urge to agree with him, I wanted to be the one that resisted falling into darkness like so many before me…I was interrupted. "What's wrong Damian?"

My head snapped up and I was looking straight into Lilly's concerned blue eyes. She was frowning but it was one of worry. "You haven't been yourself lately. You've been in your room most of the hours you aren't walking around the penitentiary speaking with the criminals. Now, Damian, I told you this job could get to you, didn't I? Our family for generations has been able to keep our mental stability, but there were a few that couldn't. They didn't have to worry, though, because they didn't get a job at a mental institution. What I'm saying, Damian, is that you should consider going back to Gotham and taking your old apartment back."

"Why so I can be alone again? So I can sit at my house every night with a dead-end job and wait for you guys to call me only to go to bed alone and worried? Huh? NO! I won't do that shit ever again! It's not fair to me! And I hate you guys for doing it to me! Burn in hell!" I rushed out of the room and slammed the door shut behind me. Lilly only sighed.

I stormed down the corridors of the dark penitentiary making my way down to Croc's cell. I had to find him and talk to him. I needed to. I walked by cell after cell with my eyes only on Croc's door but I stopped when my feet felt they couldn't go any farther. I heard the wicked laughter to my left. I turned and saw Zsasz staring at me, his bulging eyes fixated on my face. I was frozen in place for a moment then I regained my person and turned towards him. "Hello, doctor," Zsasz said in his dark whispery voice. "Have you come for the incision? Have you come to be posed?" I opened my mouth to speak but nothing but a helpless yelp found its way to my lips. "What's the matter doctor? Your little friend was posed, she wanted to be posed, she needed to be posed. You don't have to-"

"SHUT UP!" I screamed, waking a few of the sleeping inmates who grumbled and shouted throug the bars of their cells. I turned my back and ran through the corridors without stopping. I could feel the sweat accumulating on my brow and the muscles in my legs starting to ache.

I had been turning corners and sprinting through corridors for what seemed like forever. When I finally stopped I doubled over to catch my breath. I inhaled and exhaled heavily when I suddenly heard my name. I couldn't see much through the darkened hallways of the penitentiary. I looked around and saw the same foggy pink corridor that Poison Ivy was stored in. "What?" I asked.

"You seem troubled," she said in her seductive, sultry voice. "Why don't you step inside my cell and allow me to provide

one of my stress relieving massages. What do you say?"

"Why so you can keep me hostage in return for your escape, no thanks. I'm not _that_ stupid," I said with a scowl marked on my sweaty, overheated face.

"Why would I want to keep such a compassionate man hostage?" She asked, I squinted my eyes to see here but the pink fog was too thick.

"What do you mean compassionate?" I asked stepping closer to the glass.

"Harley told me what you said about her in her patient interview. And I heard it down the grapevine that she hasn't been as flattered as she was by you since she was with the Joker. That's tough to compare yourself to I hear, especially from the lips of Harley herself."

"A few one-liners," I said frowning. "Plus she didn't take it too well, she attacked me. Nothing special I assure you."

"That's not what I heard," she said. "I heard you were of the utmost sweetness to poor Quinzel." I could see her moving farther back in the chamber, low to the ground, so I assumed she was sitting. "What about me? What about poor Ivy, I've been so lonely in this cell, I could use the company."

"Nice try, Isley," I said turning to leave.

"Wait," Poison Ivy called to me. "Wouldn't you like to come in? You know as well as I do that you're immune to my spores. What do I have left to hurt you with? My plants can't get through this titanium box you've put me in, come inside and keep me company." I saw her stand up and then she appeared before me in a skimpy half-an-outfit made out of the jumpsuit shirt and a pair of underwear that contoured amazingly to her curvy figure. Her short hair seemed to move without provocation.

"Ah, there you are," I said quietly. "I feel more comfortable now that I know where you are." She had a seductive smile on her face and her body was pressed against the glass.

"Come in please," she said again.

"Tell me something first," I said with a sudden interest in mind.

"Ask me anything you like," Ivy said pushing away from the glass and strolling, alluringly along her cell.

"Why do you do the things that you do?" I asked getting a little tongue tied. "I mean, why is it you attack humans? Why are you a criminal against humanity? Why do you do it?" Ivy seemed surprised by the sudden interest in her criminal life.

"Why?" She repeated. "Because humans are disgusting creatures that have no reason being the "dominate" species on this planet. They trample on my babies without a second's remorse, they cut them down for their own selfish gain, they burn them for their "expansion". You see? The humans want everything out of the way and they won't stop until everything is dead. Such is their disgusting, selfish nature. Do you understand now?" She said this as though expecting an answer, but her surprise at my response showed that it wasn't the one she expected.

"I think I can understand. We deserve to die, most of us, if not all. I understand why you do what you do, Ivy. I understand that, to you, the foliage and plantlife of the earth mean more to you because, unlike what we see, to you, they have lives of their own. Each plant has a family, a parental tree, siblings, children, but you're the only one that has opened their eyes wide enough, opened their minds wide enough, to see that they have just as much to live for as us." Her eyes were filled with, not shock, but admiration, like she had been waiting to hear this from someone. Like I had given her something she had been missing all her life. "I am sorry to all the plants that I may've hurt or killed in my past. It wasn't until now that I understand what we humans destroy, what we chase away, who we banish, outcast, and ostracize. I'm starting to understand now."

"Then step inside my cell," she said again. "I will not hurt you, not since you see the truth now. Step inside."

I didn't realize until I was inside her cell what I was doing. I had sealed her cell behind me and now held her in my arms, our lips touching each other's. Her hands slid up my back and around to the front of my shirt, unbuttoning it slowly. She pulled off my shirt to reveal a sleeveless under that. This time I pulled her top off of her body revealing her breasts, lush and firm. Our tongues danced with each other as we explored the other's body with our hands. She pulled the other shirt off exposing a scar covered chest that she rubbed gently.

"These are the scars humanity has left for you," she whispered to me softly. "These are what your humans have done; this is how they treat you." I kissed her again and rubbed my hands on her breasts gently. She drug her nails softly down my back giving me a sensation of cold chills and ecstasy. I moved my lips down her neck, biting and nipping softly at her pale green flesh. She unhooked my belt and knelt down to get my pants off.

We rolled in the bed of her cell kissing, holding each other, scratching, biting, moaning, and breathing. I moved her legs over my shoulders, I pressed the head of my member against her soft outer lips and in one move thrust into her gently. Her moans of passion filled her cell as did mine. I thrust harder with each go, she moaned louder as I did so. I kissed her lips as I thrust inside her deeper and faster. I drug my fingers through her soft hair as she brought her fingernails, down my back. I groaned as the pleasurable pain filled every nerve in my body. I felt warm blood exiting the wounds but I didn't care.

She was on top this time, she moved with my body, her hands placed on my chest. She moved her hips in accordance to mine, our groans becoming louder and louder. She s moved herself up and down, her hands never leaving my chest. I moaned with the feeling of ecstacy as I grabbed her hips squeezing tighter. She raked her nails down my chest and leaned forward slepping her tongue against mine.

She was warm inside, it hugged my member, the heat was almost too good. She was tight and I could feel every movement she made. I sat up to kiss her, wrapping my arms around her waist as she continued to bounce on me. She smelled amazing, a mixture of some of the sweetest smelling flowers I could remember, and a few I didn't know. Her hair gave the aroma of roses and lilies and even the faintest hint of honeysuckle. I ran my hands down her legs moaning as her grip on my member got tighter. It was amazing! She moaned, I knew she was close, but the thought did the same for me. We both moved faster in accordance with each other until neither of us could hold it anymore. I let myself go inside of her she convulsed and moaned in joyous pleasure as she pulled her head back up to look into my eyes. As I moaned out I stared into her eyes as well, there was something in them, something I couldn't figure out, but yearned for. It was as if the look was that of acceptance, a look that meant everything was going to be okay, that she understood me. And almost...like she loved me...

"That could be a problem," I said looking down at the liquid seeping from her.

"It's okay," she said breathlessly. "I can't be impregnated by humans, not anymore." She kissed me softly and wrapped her arms around my neck. My arms, around her waist, tightened their grip. At first I considered what we had done, 'stress relief', but then I realized, it was something more, because I'd never felt happier in my life. Not even when I was with her…never before...


	7. Chapter 7: Scars

Chapter 7: Scars

I woke up in my bed. I couldn't remember walking back at first then I realized that she and I must've gone about four rounds last night. I couldn't remember the walk back because I was half-asleep. Dead-tired from my midnight excursion.

I had gotten out of bed and noticed that everyone would be up by now. I had no idea what the schedule for today was. So, I got my usual glass of chocolate milk, went outside and started my day by looking for Rex. I had asked around to see where he was and found out that he was fixing Mr. Freeze's AC again. So I headed to Solitary Confinement.

When I arrived I saw Rex exiting Fries' cell with a weird look on his face. "What's up? It break again?" I asked with a bit of an impatient tone in my voice. Rex didn't seem to notice.

"His fuckin' air conditioning coolant system seems to shut down more than anything else on this goddamn island," he said with a harsh tone of his own. "God, people are gonna start thinking I'm not doing my job right, I'm gonna get fired if this keeps up." We walked down the hallways quietly. "Where have you been?" Rex asked looking over at me. "You look like shit." I laughed it off, he tells me it a lot.

"I've been around," I said trying to put on my soft demeanor again. I tried but it would stay for very long. I had an urge, and urge to be, aggressive. Like I wanted punch someone, or worse. "I've been checking in on some of the inmates, under specific orders of course."

"That's cool, hey, I gotta check up on the systems of a few keypads that have shown signs of malfunction, wanna come with?" He asked.

"Sure," I said with a smile. "I wouldn't mind at all. Who's first?"

"Cobblepot," Rex groaned. "This should be easy enough."

We checked more than ten keypads including those of criminals not worth mentioning. We finally made it to someone I haven't seen in here before. "He's new," Rex told me. "Roman Sionis, aka _Black Mask_. He was transferred over from Blackgate on an insanity plea. Bad idea, Sionis," Rex said checking the keypad to the cell. "Warren White did the same thing and wound up going insane himself. Now he goes around as the Great White Shark." I looked to the back of the cell where a man in a full orange jumpsuit sat on his bed. He was a broad man with a muscular build and large, calloused hands. I looked up at his face and found the reason they called him Black Mask. On his face was a large mask made finely carved black wood. His eyes, however, were the creepiest part, a burning red that dug into my soul. He wasn't a good man, for some reason I could tell by looking at him he was a large contributor to the death toll of Gotham.

"You think I'm going to go insane?" Black Mask said. "You don't know what insanity is." He had a deep, dark voice that could shake a man to crack. "And when I get outta here I'm gonna kill every one of you bastards. I can assure you of that."

"Nevermind," Rex said adding the last touch to his keypad. "You've already gone insane haven't you?" He put the cover to the pad back on and locked it down tight.

"Don't worry, Sionis," I told him looking into his dark red eyes. "You'll be fine, I'll make sure of that myself." Sionis grunted then looked deeper into my eyes. He blinked then turned his back to us as if scared.

"C'mon," Rex said grabbing my arm and pulling me down the corridor. He pulled me all the way to his office then let me go and shut the door. He walked over to his desk and sat down and typed something on his computer. "Damian, you wanna tell me something dude?"

I stared at him unsure of what he was talking about. "What do you mean?" I asked him with cluelessness in my eyes. Rex turned his computer monitor towards me. I wasn't sure what I was looking at until I saw myself on the screen. I looked closer and my stomach sank. It was me, I was leaving Isley's cell, I was putting my shirt on and turning to say good night to her.

I looked at Rex who merely stared at me, waiting for an explanation. When nothing was said he sighed and turned the monitor back towards him. "Damian..." was all he said for a moment. "You can't do this man, you can't just go and fuck an inmate when you're feeling down in the dumps. You're gonna get youself fired, or worse, put in one of the cells yourself." He pulled out two cigarettes and lit them. He inhaled the smoke and handed me one. I took it from him and inhaled a bit of smoke myself.

"I'm not sure what came over me," I said truthfully.

"You aren't the first," Rex said flicking ashes into an ashtray in front of him. "And probably not the last. More than twelve doctors have fallen pray to that seductress, hell even I can't resist those curves when I'm repairing her cell, that's why her cell is so different from other people's, so it won't break and I won't be tempted by her. She's a temptress Damian, she feels nothing, nothing but hate and she sure as hell won't hesitate to kill y-"

"Shut up! Shut the fuck up Rex!" I screamed slamming my hands on his desk. Rex slid back in his chair and stared at me in shock. "Don't you dare say shit about her, you don't know her! You don't know what it's like living in this world like she does! You don't know shit!" I was breathing hard and my hands hurt from how hard I slammed them down on the table. I looked at him. I couldn't believe what I said, how I said it. I backed up from his desk, Rex merely looked at me, the look on his face no longer shock but worry. I opened his office door and ran out and didn't stop until I made it to my room in the mansion.

I slammed the door and looked at my hand. I had burnt myself with my cigarette and hadn't even noticed. "What did I say? Did I take Ivy's side over my own best friend's? What the fuck is happening to me? Why am I doing this?" I walked into my kitchen and looked down. "What the?" I noticed a broken glass on the floor and realized that had been ther since Kainan's visit. I shook my head and grabbed a broom and dustpan. I swept up the broken glass and dumped it in the trash can.

I fell on the couch and put an arm over my eyes. I couldn't begin to think what was happening to me. "Am I being corrupted by the inmates?" I asked myself. "Am I letting them get to me? Or am I merely seeing the truth? The truth that was there the whole time?"

There was a knock at my door, I jumped and turned my head in that direction. "Who-who is it?" I asked a little shaken.

"It's Kainan and Rex, mind opening the door Damian?" I rubbed the palm of my hand on my forehead and sighed.

"What do you guys want?" I asked.

"Open the bloody door please, we look like idiots standing out here," Kainan said with an agitated tone.

"Damian, c'mon dude, I have the key to your door, either let us in or we're coming in anyway," Rex added knocking again.

"You don't have to knock again, he knows we're out here," Kainan said impatiantly.

"It's not locked, come on in," I said looking at the door as they both stepped inside. Rex closed it behind him and looked at me with that same worried expression.

"Look Damian..." he began.

"Sorry," I interrupted. "About what I said a minute ago, sorry about that, and the way I said it." Rex sighed and smiled.

"Don't worry about it, like I said, a lot of people have fallen for Ivy's spores' seductive powers-"

"I'm immune Rex," I said shortly. "I'm not falling in love with her spores, I'm falling in love with her." Rex looked at Kainan who stared at me. He cleared his throat and made his way into the kitchen.

"Mind if I make myself some coffee?" He asked.

"Help yourself," I said looking back at him. I stood up to walk into the kitchen but Kainan said.

"Sit, we've got much to talk about." I stared at him and sat back down on the couch. He started the coffee and walked back in the living room and sat next to me.

"Damian I asked Kainan to join us to offer a bit of psychiatric help, I feel maybe you've been analyzing the brains of so many that you should sit down and have yours examined instead." Rex thought for a moment before adding. "No offense."

"None taken," I said with a small chuckle.

"Okay," Kainan said. He stared into my eyes quietly and sat there. It was quiet, my only thoughts were wondering what he was going to say. It was only quiet, I stared into his gray eyes waiting for a reply. "Yep, I'm gonna need some coffee," he said, scaring the crap out of me and Rex. He walked into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee and added a bit of milk to it. He walked back in and sat down, taking a swig from his cup. "Alright, that's better."

Rex and I glared at him for scaring us. But he merely sighed and said. "Alright, I'm going to ask you some basic rudamentary questions that-"

"I know the game, Kainan," I said. "Let's just start playing."

"Fine," he said taking another drink. "What kind of coffee is this?"

"It's Sugai Kona," I said with a smile. "Good huh? It's really expensive but it lasts a long time and is too strong to drink fast like normal coffee."

"It's magnificent," he said, taking another drink and relashing each sip.

"Kainan!" Rex exclaimed.

"Oh yes, yes, sorry." He put down his cup and looked at me. "When did you start feeling these emotions, not only the feelings for Isley, but everything? All of these feelings of anger and self-uncertainty?" I sighed.

"If you want the short version," I began. "I'm falling in love with Poison Ivy, I want more than anything to befriend Killer Croc, and I'm absolutely terrified of Zsasz, and I don't know when all of these mixed emotions came to life inside my head. All I know is I came onto the job thinking that it would be the same as any other..." I paused and laughed. "I can't believe I said that, I'm dealing with homicidal maniacs psychopaths and I figured it'd be the same as my job at Gotham Library." I shook my head and sighed.

"Why Zsasz?" Rex asked. I looked up at him. "You've dealt with Croc, Ivy, and Quinn, why would be fine with them but terrified of Zsasz?" I sighed.

"Because I had a run-in with him seven to eight years ago," I replied. "I dealt with the bastard a long time ago, and it scarred me. I can't even look at him without freezing up and losing my cool." I bowed my head and wiped sweat from my brow.

"Let's start with that," Kainan said taking another sip from his coffee. "You say that you're terrified of Zsasz because of your previous encounter with him. Tell me what happened." I stood up quickly.

"No!" The sudden movement and reply made Rex jump but Kainan merely placed his coffee on the table and looked at me. "I won't go back there, I won't open my darkest door so you can examine the details and tell me I'm crazy."

"You're starting to sound like an inmate," Kainan said bluntly. I glared at him, here only stared back with an apathetic expression. "Am I wrong?" He asked calmly.

"Fine! You wanna know what happened I'll fucking tell you!" I said walking back over and sitting down on the couch. "About eight years ago I had finally gotten accepted to Gotham University in the central district and was going to major in Psychology of course..."

I walked nervously down the halls of the university, I held my stuff in a duffle bag and wandered through the corridors looking for my dorm room. When I found it I opened the door and stepped inside, my dormmate barely even touched the room but his stuff was there. A bed was neatly made for me and beside it was a desk with a computer. I placed my duffle bag down on the bed and sat next to it. I pulled out my cell phone to call Lilly...

"Let's skip to time where Zsasz comes in shall we?" Kainan interrupted taking another swig of his coffee. "There's no point in explaining every minor detail." I was a little irritated at first but smiled it off seeing it as Kainan's usual blunt attitude.

"Fine, then I'll start where I met her..." I said with a bit of a sorrowful tone.

One day wasn't like the others, wasn't like the same perfunctory days that I'd come to know. You see, I was lonely in college, my roommate was always spending his nights in his girlfriend's or best friend's dorm and I had my room to myself, I had barely said a sentence to the guy and it was nearly the second term. It was that day, however, when I met Carmen Cruiz, or C.C. as some called her. She was being transferred to the central university after a bit of trouble in the western district. She had all of her credits and blah blah blah...anyway, Carmen's seat just so happened to be right behind me, and when she sat down I took it upon myself to greet her to her new school.

"Hello," I greeted her as she took her seat. "My name's Damian Rykotsu, it's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Cruiz." I gave a soft but genuine smile, which was returned by one of her own, a beautiful smile it was. She had perfect skin and beautiful lips, and her eyes were something out of a movie, light brown, like milk chocolate floating in the perfect shade of white. I was lost in her eyes the moment I saw them, which aided an awkward moment for us indeed.

"Um...the teacher's talking to you," she whispered to me, my head turned so fast I nearly snapped my own neck...

"And this has to do with Zsasz how?" Kainan interrupted again.

"I'm getting to it!" I snapped with a glare.

Her first day there I asked to be her partner in a project we were to do in class, analyzing the mind of a fellow classmate. And I must say that her mind was one of the most intriguing minds I've ever had the pleasure of analyzing, aside from Croc's that is. Did you know...oh right...sorry...anyway...

So it turned out that the reason Carmen was transferred to central district is because of an abusive ex-boyfriend. "One mistake after another," she told me one day when she came over to work on our project together. "That's what my love life has been. I always date a mistake. And it's starting to look that way again." I looked at her with concern.

"You're dating someone already?" I asked jotting something down on my paper.

"Yeah, Jeff Newly, he's on the basketball team," she replied also writing something down. I knew Jeff all too well, one of the assholes that tormented me back at my high school, I had a scar with his name on it, both mental and physical. "He seemed so nice when we first met, but now..."

"You mean he was attractive?" I asked without looking up from my paper. My tone was growing harsher so I tried my best to tone it down.

"What?" She asked looking at me.

"We're studying psychology here," I told her showing her my paper. "And from what I can tell all of your boyfriends seem to have one thing in common, aside from them being assholes in the end of course, they're attractive." I glanced at her then back to my paper to pretend like I was writing something.

"Yeah I guess so," she admitted with almost a hurt look.

"Sorry," I said. "I didn't mean to say it like that, I apologize."

"Yeah, well it's none of your business anyway," she said calmly. "It's my business who I date, nobody else's, my mistakes are my own."

I almost couldn't stop myself. "Do you think that may come from your father being so abusive?" I couldn't believe what I just said I covered my mouth immediately. She glared at me with a tear streaming from her eye. Without a word she picked up her things and slammed the door behind her. I was alone again. I couldn't help myself, all of this study of psychology and I wanted to be anyone's psychiatrist, I was making top grades in my class, which, I was fairly certain, was the reason Carmen accepted me as her partner.

The next day in class I said nothing to her, as did she to me. I couldn't even look at her after what I said. When class ended I waited for her after class. "What you here to make fun of me some more?" She asked when she saw me.

"I think we should finish the projects seperately," I said ignoring her snappy comment. "We'll just make some shit up and turn it in." She stared at me without a word as I added. "Try to make it believable." I walked away after that. She said nothing as I did so, just as I expected. I called Lilly to ask for her help but I got the response I expected.

"Give it time," she told me. "She'll figure out she's crazy about you, she's just not aware of it yet." I sighed and thanked her for the advice and hung up. I could feel the tears coming as I hung up the phone, they were swelling up in my eyes and clouding my vision when suddenly there was a knock on the door. I opened it to find a mess of a girl, Carmen, she had a welt on her face and I knew where it came from, it was Newly, he had hit her. Only one question escaped my lips.

"Where is he?"

I found my way to the dorm with Carmen staying at mine. I practically beat down his door shouting his name, echoing through the hallways. A few kids opened their doors to see what was happening. Newly finally answered, he smelled of pot and sweat and I looked inside to see another girl naked on his bed. "Is this why you beat the hell out of her? Because you had another slut over and she didn't approve?" Jeff laughed and leaned against his doorway.

"Yeah? So?" I could tell he wasn't threatened by me, he just saw me as the kid he used to beat the crap out of in high school, and he knew Rex wasn't here to save me, otherwise he would've been shitting his pants. I didn't hesitate, I swallowed my fear and took a swing, I missed. I hit the frame of his door and nearly broke my hand. "Oh shit, so the fucker took a swing did he?" He said mockingly. "Alright then." He swung next, and landed a punch to the stomach. I could feel the wind leaving my lungs as I fell to the ground. I crumpled to the floor in a heap of tears, snot, and piss. But I got up.

"You don't scare me anymore Newly," I coughed, spit dribbling down my chin. "And I'm gonna make you pay for what you did to her." He laughed.

"That's what this is about? Not the years of horrors I put you through in high school? What she say she was gonna give you a piece if you beat the hell outta me? I believe it, just remember I taught that little slut all she knows." He swung again and landed a blow to my cheek, I could feel a tooth chip, I swallowed the debris by accident as he landed another blow to my other cheek. This time blood cascaded from my mouth as one of my canines burried itself in my tongue. But I stood back up and charged him. We fell to the ground kicking and biting and gouging. I landed a few good hits but he landed more, I could feel my insides turning to mush as I fell over, he got on top and began wailing on any part of me he could get his fists on. I shoved him away but he was too strong. I could feel myself blacking out when finally someone came to help, I couldn't tell who it was, but they pulled Newly off of me and I was sent to the emergency room soon after.

When I woke up I was wired to a machine that was measuring my heart rate. I looked around and saw an IV in my hand and a breathing tube in my nose. Then I saw Carmen, she was asleep with her head in her arms, leaning against my bed. I tried to smile but it hurt to move anything and everything. I lifted my hand and felt a burning sensation, gritting my teeth I placed my hand on her head and began to caress her hair. She awoke with a start and slammed her head against the palm of my hand, it hurt...alot...

"Oh god, I'm so sorry!" Carmen shouted grabbing my hand, only hurting it more. I didn't let it show, however, I was just glad to see our roles weren't reversed. I was glad to be in the hospital bed instead of her. My joy took a nose dive when I saw her face, such a pretty visage was corrupted by bruises and welts. "It's fine," she noted softly seeing my disdain.

"You never told me about that..." Rex interrupted with his hands balled into pulsing fists. I smiled and said.

"You didn't need to know, I'm all better now. And don't worry, I'll get him back eventually..." my tone turned somber. "For the both of us."

"Please continue, passed this part if you would," Kainan added bluntly. "I haven't the time to sit here and reminsce."

"Right," I said rather sullenly. "Um..."

We both recovered soon after and she was through with dating assholes. She, instead, asked me out on a date a week after we both reached full recovery, of course I accepted. Carmen and I were happy after that, we worked on homework together, discussed ideas and opinions, got to know each other much better, and even went on more than a few dates every week. It was a happy moment of my life, I was with a girl I'd come to love dearly.

If I was in trouble with a bully or authority figure, she'd be right beside me to help. If I was down about family or friends or grades she was there to cheer me up with a kiss and a smile. It wasn't long after...we made love...for the first time. It was a night of ecstacy and passion, one I'll never forget...our bodies interwoven in a dance of pure passion and emotion...romance...love...it was truly a night to remember. After we had finished, both of us to the point passed pleasure, I kissed her on the forehead and told her I loved her without even thinking about it first. I thought about it after and considered apologizing for being so forward, but before I could she kissed my lips and told me she loved me as well.

I was so caught up in my happiness that it didn't even come upon me to call my family or my friends to tell them about Carmen, about how happy she made me, about how I was more than content with my life. Now that she was in it. I was just glad she was there to help me along. I wouldn't be anything without her.

There was one day when we were on one of our dates, there was a show playing at the Gotham Theatre. It was one she and I were very excited about, _Phantom of the Opera_, a spectacular performance. We watched the play very thoroughly, sharing comments and opinions during. When it was over and we were walking through main street we both decided we were hungry and wanted to hit a diner on the other side of town. We had walked to the theatre so we would have to to the diner as well.

Our mistake was taking the alley.

We wanted to get there fast so we took the alley. I should've said no, I shouldn't have let her go down the fucking alley...

I had stopped a moment to recollect myself, feeling the tears coming. "It's alright," Kainan said softly. "Keep going."

We were about halfway out when we were attacked. I was knocked on the head first, hard, I hit the ground. She was knocked out next and picked up. I couldn't make out our assailant, it was dark and the moon light was shaded by the tall buildings that made up the alley. I struggled to get to my feet, the ground was slippery from a previous storm, my brain was throbbing in my skull, and there was a ringing in my ears. I could feel a welt forming on the back of my head and the blood that made my hair sticky to the touch. But I got to my feet and followed them down another alley. I had to get her back. I had to save her. I couldn't see them, I couldn't find them. I was torn between a fork in the alleyway. I chose a direction and followed it. It was a dead end. I had to turn and go the other way, it was wasting time I didn't have.

I finally found my way to an old abandoned warehouse. The windows were boarded up and the door had long been torn off of its hendges. I ran as fast as I could through the door but saw nothing, it was dark, too dark to see. I called her name, I screamed her name til I was hoarse. I felt around for something, anything to tell me I wasn't alone, that I hadn't went the wrong way. I got that something, a laughter, wicked, evil laughter.

I felt a hot searing pain on the back of my arm, it was warm and I realized I had been cut, just now. I felt a pain in the back of my knee, fell to the ground again, it hurt to move. Suddenly something grabbed me by the hair and I could feel his breath on my ear.

"You're naughty, naughty for coming early here darling. You should've staid where you were, I would've come for you baby oh yes." I grunted as he pressed the blade of his knife against my throat. "Oh shh, shh, shh, it's okay, it's gonna be all okay, yes it is." He licked my ear, his thick saliva was hot and trickled down my neck, but all I could think about was Carmen.

"Where is she? What did you do to her you bastard!" I swung at him but missed as he through my head into the dirt. I could taste the dust as I enhaled it. I busted a tooth when I hit the ground so blood was filling my mouth. I spat and coughed as he laughed. "Where is she?" I screamed in a hoarse voice.

"She is a beautiful one yes she is, music to my eyes, oh yes. She was a perfect sculpture, oh yes, oh yes, she was a beautiful one indeed." I heard him scuttle away. I heard his footsteps until they stopped and he laughed loudly. "You want to see? You do don't you, oh shh, but don't tell anyone, not til its done, yes? Come now, let's see!" I heard a click and a single light flashed, temporarily blinding me. I covered my eyes with a hand but lowered it when a fuzzy shadow came into view.

"Who are you? What do you want? Give her back to me!" I screamed as hard as I could through the dust that blocked my voice. "Give her back to me!"

"She is mine now! See? See! This is what I have, oh yes, so far my darling, look, look, look at it!" The voice demanded. I coughed once more and looked up to see what it was he wanted me took look at. My stomach dropped and my heart sank as I saw her, his sculpture. I saw Carmen, she was posed in a chair. Her legs were crossed with her hands in her lap. She looked like she was posing for her big introduction, then I looked upon her head. A tear fell from my eye as I witnessed her expression, one of fear and pain. Her mouth was opened and her eyes were frozen in a wide terrified expression. I screamed. That's all I could do, I screamed and cried. I pounded my fists against the dusty ground. My screams were mixed with his howls of laughter.

He danced around her with his knife swinging through the air. He giggled and chortled and kissed her cheek. It was sick, I couldn't watch, I wanted to get to my feet, I wanted to throw myself on him, I wanted him dead. Zsasz, Victor Zsasz, I wanted to kill the bastard for what he did to her, for what he did to me. But I couldn't move, I only put my forehead to the dusty floor and wept for her, for me, for what I wanted to do to him.

It was then that a shadow broke through the ceiling. It fell upon Zsasz and put him on the ground, for a moment I thought I was hallucinating. I thought I was seeing myself, killing him, beating him to the ground, but it wasn't me. It was him, the Batman. He was fighting Zsasz...then I blacked out...

I was quiet for a moment then looked up at Kainan. Rex had sat down on one of my recliners and wiped sweat from his forehead. "Wait," Rex said. "What happened next?"

"I woke up in a hospital bed again, I recovered physically, was admitted into therapy, finished college, and got a job here," I said bluntly. "End of fucking story." I wiped the tears from my eyes. "There, that's the story." I sighed and got to my feet. I poured me a cup of coffee and drowned it with milk and sugar til it was too sweet for most to handle.

"And Batman saved you?" Kainan asked. "Did you ever see him afterwards?" I glared at my cup of coffee.

"No," I said simply.

"And how do you feel about the Caped Crusader, exactly?" He asked me.

"If I ever see that bastard..." I didn't finish the sentence. What was I gonna do? Kill him? I couldn't even match Zsasz and the Batman took him down with barely a fight.

"Why?" Rex asked with shock on his face. "Why do you hate Batman? He saved you!"

"Did he save her?" I snapped at him with venom in my words. "Did he happen to find us in enough fucking time to save her from that fucking monster? No! He failed, clear as day! He saved me! Who gives a shit? I don't deserve to be fucking saved! I was the one that should've fucking died!"

"Damian," Kainan began.

"No! Get the fuck out! I told you the goddamn story now get the fuck out! Please!" Kainan nodded and set his cup on the table and practically dragged Rex out by his arm. The door was shut and I was alone again. I walked into the living room and picked up Kainan's cup. I sighed and spun it in my hand. I cocked an eyebrow when I glanced at something scribbled on the white coffee mug. I turned it over and read: "_Love will always be stronger than grief. -Kainan_" I smiled and chuckled then put the cup in the sink. I checked my watch and saw it was passed buisness hours. I thought for a moment then poured the rest of my coffee in the sink, grabbed a jacket and nearly ran out my door.

I had to talk to someone who understood my pain better, I had to talk to Jones...


	8. Chapter 8: Abandoning Humanity

Thank you so much for those of you keeping up so far, please let me know if I've maintained this story well enough, a few more chapters to go and I'll be done, please comment, it helps me know you're enjoying reading it as much as I enjoy writing it and remember I love ya all!

Here's one of my favorite chapters so far, please enjoy!

Chapter 8: Abandoning Humanity

"You know, you gotta stop waking me up in the middle of the night with this shit," Croc said rubbing one of his small yellow eyes. "What're you doin' over there Doc?" I was at the camera system typing on the computer. I held a folder over my shoulder and turned my head to smile. "What's that?"

"Camera system codes," I said with a sly smile. "I swiped them from Rex's office before I got here." Croc stared at me without a word.

"What for?" He asked in his usually gravely voice.

"Last time I loafered with an inmate I was caught doing so on camera. Gotta learn from my mistakes ya know?" I finished putting the camera on a loop of before I entered the room and the sound was turned off so nobody could hear us. I turned around and smiled at Jones. "There we go, all alone." Jones said nothing, only stared.

"What do you want, Doc?"

"I want to talk to you."

"About what?" He crossed his arms.

I opened my mouth to speak but said nothing. I hadn't thought about that. What did I want to talk about? I couldn't just start small talk with Jones he'd probably find it offensive. "I've been thinking of our last session," I said. "About what you said. How I'm on my way and all?" I was trying to tell what Croc was thinking from the look on his face but I could get nothing out of it.

"What about it?" He finally asked.

"What did you mean?" I inquired sliding a chair in front of the glass between us and sitting down.

"I ain't got the fuckin' patience to play wiseman with you-"

"Oh would you cut the bullshit," I interrupted bluntly, catching Croc by surprise. "You can play the big bad crocodile all you want Jones but you and I both know we made a connection during our last session, I am probably one of the only people that's seen you genuinally laugh." I thought for a moment. "Well in harmless amusement instead of morbid." I laughed, he merely glared at me. "Don't be so freakin ornery dude." I jumped when he slammed a hand against the glass in front of him. "Dude you scared the shit out of me!" I said grabbing my chest.

"At least you're honest," Croc mumbled turning around and heading toward the pool to the back of his cell.

"You just won't sit and talk to me willyou?" Croc stopped and turned towards me, for the first time I didn't falter I stood my ground, only because he couldn't get through that glass. He stepped back up to the glass and glared at me, his already narrow eyes narrowed even further.

"You like doing this? You like making fun of me? You come in here and make all the jokes and talk down to me all you want because this large piece of glass is between us." I glared at him and stood up. I walked over to the door to his cell, punched in the keycode, and opened the door. As I stepped inside I closed the door and locked it. I stared at him without a flinch, standing right in front of him, ready for anything.

"I'm not afraid to die Jones," I assured him. "Not anymore." He leaned down and stared into my eyes. I didn't move, I wasn't afraid, though I was a little jumpy, unsure of what he was going to do.

"You feel it inside you?" Croc asked me in a hushed tone. "You feel that burning in your blood?" His breath smelled of rancid meat and dirty water, I tried not to gag though my eyes did water, he was so close I could almost feel the roughness of the medical anomaly that was his skin. "It's the animocity that ever being is born with, you must bring it to the surface and embrace the beast within you." I was a bit confused at this point.

"Why embrace it?" I asked still staring into his ferocious yellow eyes.

"Because it gets rid of the pain of being a man," he said quoting one of my personal favorites.

"Doctor Samuel Johnson," I murmered with a smile. "A good quote."

"Not many know what it really means," Croc said turning his back on me, which allowed me to exhale unnoticed. "Do you know what it means Doctor?" He turned to look at me.

"It means if you become an animal you won't have to feel the anguish of humanity." He nodded witout a word. "Where is this going Jones?" I asked looking around the cell. The first time I entered Croc's cell I couldn't get a good look at it because I had Croc's enormous hand around my throat squeezing the life out of me.

"What are you doing here Doc?" Jones said with more agitaion in his voice.

"I want you to talk to me!" I screamed losing my patience. "We keep going around in a fucking circle and all I want you to do is trust me! You heard what I said to my brothers right? I just want you to have someone to talk to, to trust, to relate to and god-fucking-dammit I can fucking relate! I was tortured my whole fucking life for being different, for being who I am, and you know what I did? I fucking took it and blamed myself! If anyone would fucking understand that it would be you! You know what I went through just as much as I know what you went through! Fuck Jones why won't you just fucking talk to me?" I didn't notice the streams of tears falling from my eyes. "Shit! My family is too busy to talk to me! My best friend who, by the way, use to beat the shit out of me within an inch of my life, doesn't even trust me, and all the fucking staff in this fucking asylum hate me because the warden's my sister." I was breathing hard and the tears continued to fall down my face.

"And now you," I continued finally noticing the tears, wiping them away aggressively. "Someone who knows torment, who's witnessed the brutality of humans, and has been the victim of neglect and abuse. You can't see what we share! What the fuck we have in common!" My breath left me in gasps and dry heaves, it caught in my chest and throat and the tears kept falling.

"What we share?" Croc said with a mocking tone. "What we have in common?" I heard it before it even started, the laughter, the mocking laughter that rang in my ears all my life. He began with a dark, raspy chuckle before it exploded into a fit of maniacal hysteria. His immensly broad shoulders bobbed up and down as the snarling chortle exploded from his gnarly maw. He gathered enough breath as he pushed his face up to mine. "Shut the fuck up you fuckin queer! You and your gay fuckin' thoughts about me have to fuckin' stop!" He laughed again turning to walk away. "Get the fuck outta my fuckin' cell you pathetic bitch."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, the very convict I'd come to respect, the one I'd come to feel sympathy for was treating me exactly how the others did! The way all of the bullies did back in high school, the way Rex did before, the way Jeff Newly did in college, and the way my brothers do behind my back! The tears fell harder than before and my I could feel my knuckles pop as my hands balled into fists, my vision blurred and I suddenly saw red. In a roar of furocious desperation I threw myself at Croc.

Croc lifted his hand and grabbed my fist and pulled it down, launching his other fist into my stomach knocking all of the air out of my lungs. I could feel the blood traveling up my throat as I coughed it up onto the floor. But I maintained myself, in a roar of desperate fury I launched my knee into his gut. He coughed breifly which was all I needed to wrench my hand from his iron grip. I shot another fist into his face which did nothing but push his face to the left momentarily, which I took as a chance to throw another punch, again doing nothing against his battle-hardened body. Croc laughed as he grabbed me by the throat and kneed me in the gut, forcing more blood from my throat. He continued his howl of laughter as he forced another fist against my cheek and slammed me against the wall by my throat. I felt my feet leave the ground as my back slid up the wall.

He brought his face up to mine as I struggled to get free. He laughed in my face, his breath stank horribly but he didn't care, he had me where he wanted me. My struggles proved useless as his hand was able to grasp both my neck and part of my shoulders. He only chuckled mockingly he did nothing more than hold me against the wall, I wanted to scream but knew it would do no good. I made sure to come visit him when his guards were off duty, and they would be for the next hour. I gave him sixty whole minutes to do whatever he wanted to me.

"Slippery little fuck aren't ya?" He asked with another gurgling chuckle. I growled and spat blood in his face. His head whipped back in an impulsive movement, he glared at me snarling, saliva dripping from his beastly maw. He laughed, knocking me one more time in the gut.

"Fuck you!" I screamed, practically gurgling through blood, snot, and saliva. "Fuck you, you're no better...you're no fucking better than them! Than the ones who beat you and tormented you when you were a child!" I could tell it hit him cause his face twisted into a rage. "I may be weak, easily beat, but at least I'm not alone! I don't need superhuman strength to make myself feel better! You use it to try and make amends for the fact that you're alone! You've got nobody to relate to, nobdy to talk to, you're alone!" I coughed, blood dribbled down my chin as I spoke. "You could've had me. I would've been your friend, your only friend!" I was passing out from lack of oxygen. "But you didn't want a friend...did you? You just want to be alone...feeling sorry for...yourself...for the reast of your...life..." My vision was getting blurry. "I knew...knew what...you...you were...you were going through..." Just as I was about to pass out I felt my body drop, I thought I was dying at first but I felt my body hit the ground.

I breathed heavily as oxygen returned to my lungs, spitting blood each time I exhaled. I looked at Croc who stared down at me. I tried to stand up but my legs would lift my body, nor would my shaking arms. Croc grunted as he grabbed my collar and hauled me to my feet. "I don't...get it..." I asked holding my throat. As I spoke I could actually feel the developing bruises. Croc turned his back on me.

"You embraced it," he said, I almost couldn't hear him but I knew what he said, though I wasn't sure what he meant. He turned to me. "That moment when you attacked me I could see in it your eyes. You abandoned all humanity, all I saw was an animal in those eyes. You're shit at fighting," he added with a bit of morbid amusement. "But you weren't afraid to die and that's what matters in this fucked up world we live in." I couldn't read an expression on his face, I was confused about the entire situation and my head was still throbbing.

"You never inteded to kill me?" I asked.

"Yes, I was planning on ripping you in half," he said bluntly walking up to me. "But then I saw myself in you, when I had you against the wall, I could see myself. You're right, I live my life in solitude, alone, because nobody understands my physical and mental pain." He snorted and spat on the floor. "'Cept you it looks like." He walked over to the bed they put in here for him and pulled a pack of cigarettes from underneath the mattress. He put one between his teeth and lit it with a match he took from a box he also hid under there. He offered me one and I looked at it.

"I don't smoke," I told him but thought about it, I could've died, he was going to kill me, but I was alive, I had no reason not to. I was just happy to be alive. I took one from him and lit it off the same match. "So what now?" I asked stupidly.

"I ain't gonna kill ya, do whatever the fuck you want," he said inhaling smoke and exhaling it slowly. "I don't give two shits."

"I don't get it Jones," I said coughing as the first initial cloud of smoke entered my lungs. I practically hacked up a lung and Croc just laughed.

"Pussy," was all he said.

"Sorry," I replied getting all of the coughs out of my system. "I don't get something Croc, and I never had time to ponder on it since it never came up in your Dossier." He turned to me and stared at me, I was afraid I'd offend him but I said it anyway. "You give off this disguise that you're just a bloodthirsty animal. That you have no shred of humanity left, and yet, here you are, giving me life lessons. Giving me wisdom I've only heard from my sister. Why make it out that you're just a brute with no sense of intellectual signifigance?"

Croc only took hits from his cigarette, silent, but he finally broke the silence by saying. "Intellegence got me nowhere in life Damian." I noticed he called me by my name instead of just "Doc" but said nothing to let him continue. "When I was growing up it wasn't my intellect that saved me from those bullies, it wasn't intellect that got me that job in the mafia, and it sure as hell wasn't intellgence that got me famous, fuck no." He turned to me and crushed his cigarette in his hand, not even flinching when the cherry rubbed against his bare flesh. "It was power!" He flexed showing every rippling green muscle on his body and laughed. "It was my brute strength alone that got me through my life, that helped me take revenge on those fucking pussies at school, that got my checks signed and cashed, and that helps me to deal with the Bat. I am a man of pure strength, no strategy, no thought, just advanced animal instinct." He balled a fist and put it to my face. "It was strength that won my fight against you."

"Barely a fight," I said taking another hit from the cigarette, which went down much smoother this time. I sighed but looked up suprised when I heard Croc chuckle, then laugh. He laughed loudly and slapped me on the back sending my flying foward. "Jesus Croc!" I said standing up and brushing myself off.

Through his fit of laughter Croc managed to say. "My...god...you're such...a fuckin...pussy!" He just kept laughing and, after a moment or two, I joined him. We both laughed at both of our expense, though mostly mine, and I could tell, we both were enjoying it greatly.


	9. Chapter 9: Justice and Vengence

I realize that the last chapter, though it was very fun to write, may have seemed a little rushed. Here is chapter 9, it took awhile to complete and I hope you're satisfied with the results, please enjoy and make sure to comment! Thank you!

Chapter 9: Justice and Vengence

I awok in my bed with a migrane to kill a bull and a hurting...everything. It hurt severly to even get out of my bed, as I moved my muscles tightened and burned. I could feel the welts and bruises on every part of my body. I winced with every twitch and jerk, my skin felt like it was on fire and pulled taught.

"F-fuck!" I screamed in an exasperated groan. My body ached beyond comprehension and it was nearly unbearable to turn on the shower. I screamed and pulled my arm away when the hot water brushed my damaged skin. "Shit!" I sighed and undressed myself slowly, wincing and cursing with every movement. On the wall of my shower was a device I had Rex install for when I wanted to communicate with someone while taking a shower, believe it or not I needed that more times than you may think. "Rex you fuckin' genious," I groaned as I dialed a number on the water proof keypad. "Shit!" I screamed stepping into the shower. Every drop of water felt like a bullet against my bruises and cuts. I fell to my knees in the shower and screamed bloody murder until I heard the dial tone on the handfree phone. I covered my mouth with a hand and tilted the showerhead down so the water wasn't touching my body.

"Hello?" Came Kainan's voice from the speakers.

"K-Kainan...hey man what's...up?" I asked trying not to sound like I was getting something shoved up my ass.

"Hello Damian, do you need something?" His voice was apathetic as always, some wouldn't believe we were friends.

"Yeah...shit...I was just won...wondering...if you had painkillers that could numb the pain of a freshly amputated limb..." I thought about that and added in quickly. "Not that...I have one, of course...just in pain...right now." Kainan was quiet for a moment then he replied.

"What did you do this time?"

"I...well..." I laughed and gave the story I told myself I'd tell him. "Fell down a...flight of..shit...stairs in the penintentiary." I groaned a bit but regained myself upon his response.

"I see, you fell down some stairs and now you need powerful painkillers...for that?" Kainan's voice let me know he didn't buy it but I played it out like I had rehearsed in my head.

"Yeah, I made sure to hit...every fucking stair...on the way down," I laughed hoping for remorseful gulability at least once from Kainan. "Got anything...that will take affect immidiately and...ow...can put a buffalo to ease?"

There was silence on the other end. I waited for a moment hoping he didn't hang up. "Are you in the shower?" I heard him ask. I groaned and said.

"Yes."

"How are you talking on the phone and taking a shower?"

"It's a wireless hm radio-sorta-thing that Rex installed in my shower."

"Hm, I must think to get myself one of those."

"Just ask Rex, _look_! Do you have them or not?"

"Yes, I'll be right over, I'm in the Medical Facility at the moment, and I had to speak to you about something anyway."

"Thanks Kainan," I said gratefully clicking the "End" button on the keypad. I took in a deep breath and moved the shower head up so to let the water hit me. You've never heard a grown man scream like that...

It wasn't long before I heard the door close in my apartment and a knock on my bathroom door. "C'min," I groaned knowing he wouldn't be able to see anything behind the black tinted shower door.

"My god are you still in the shower?" I heard Kainan say as he entered.

"Yeah, you know me I take long showers."

"Yes, I half-expected you to be asleep in it when I got here." I heard the sound of bottle of pills clatter on the counter. "There you go, they're very heavy painkillers, and highly addictive." I heard him lean up against the counter. "Be sure to take _only_ one every three hours. That's it. Understand?"

"Yeah, will they stay in affect the entire three hours?" I asked through groans.

"No," he replied to my dismay. "They only last about two hours and fifteen to twenty minutes."

"Great, so that's forty to forty-five minutes of agony for me," I said over the noise of the water.

"Yes, I suppose so. I have something I'd like to ask," he added.

"What's that?"

"The stairs you fell down? They didn't happen to be huge, green, and have the temper of a rabid bull elephant would they?" I cursed to myself and groaned. "Because those are the sort of steps I've always seen you falling down."

"Shut up," I snapped. "And yes they were."

"Mmhmm, kind of figured," he said in the same apathetic tone.

"Listen don't tell anybody, please," I pleaded. "Especially not Lilly, Stone, Rex, and _especially_ Gorian." There was silence for a moment where I actually thought he'd left, but he said.

"Perhaps I should tell them. You'd lose your job and that just might teach you a lesson about tampering with the inmates." I could hear a sharp tone to his voice, he was pissed in his own way, or concerned, which I doubted.

"Please Kainan I made a connection with him, I got him to listen, I got him to talk, and more importantly I got him to talk!" I groaned.

"Was this before or after he used your face as a punching bag?"

"Ugh...after..."

"Impressive, I could've sworn with how stupid you tend to be it would be before."

"Look, I got him to laugh, then we talked until I left. I got him to talk to me, you can't turn me in, please!" Silence again.

I heard him sigh. "Fine, but I think you should keep away from him for awhile. In fact I think you should take the next three days to stay in your apartment, but I know you won't listen to me. You never do." I laughed...or groaned with pain...one of those two.

"Do you ever listen to me?"

"You never have anything intellegent to say," he replied jokingly, but still in the same voice. "Next time you want to do something stupid, go play in a highly radiated freeway full of speeding cars, you'll get less bruises that way." I heard him open the door to leave when I stopped him.

"Hey Kainan." I heard him stop. "What did you want to tell me?"

"Oh yes, we've got a new inmate coming." He thought a moment. "Well, he's been here before but technically he'll be new when he gets here."

"Who?" I asked intrigued.

"Harvey Dent, or Twoface as the media so idiotically calls him."

"Why did you wanna tell me that?" I asked confused.

"The Batman is bringing him in personally," Kainan replied.

"Oh," I replied simply. "Why would I care?"

"He'll be stopping by the Psychiatric Ward to drop him off. I figure this would be a good time to talk to him about what happened to Carmen." I got a twinge of pain hearing her name. And this time not from the bruises. He said her name so carelessly, like she was still alive and doing well. Like he didn't know her death was one of the worst things that ever happened to me.

"I won't talk to him," I said aggressively. "I have no reason to."

"I'm sure you think that's right," Kainan said shutting the door behind him. I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. I heard him close the door. A flood of anger swept through my body, released by a single devastating punch to my mirror, cracking its surface and forcing a few shards to fall into the sink below.

"FUCK!"

...I walked through the mansion corridors staring at some of the pieces they had behind glass. I stared at an article from the cat burgaler _Catwoman_ when my thoughts were interupted. "What the fuck happened to your hand?" I heard Stone ask. I turned and saw him eating an ice cream cone.

"What?" I asked unable to understand him through a mouth full of sweets.

"What the fuck happened to your hand?" He repeated.

I lifted the hand I used to punch a mirror. I had wrapped it masterfully in a bandage and gauze after I had struck the mirror. I'm not sure why I didn't think anyone wouldn't notice. "Oh, I punched a mirror."

"Why?" He asked licking his ice cream cone, and making a mess.

"I got angry."

"Why'd you get angry?" I glared at him. "What? Just wonderin what got you so pissed off is all."

"Just got angry."

"Kay," he replied walking up to the glass I was standing in front of. "Catwoman huh? That bitch is hot."

"You met her?" I asked looking back at the mask beneath the glass.

"Once. Back when I was part of Gotham PD. I tracked her down to an alleyway and cuffed her but she got away." I cocked an eyebrow and looked at him. "What?"

"Nobody's ever gotten away from you."

"She did."

"You let her go didn't you?" I asked with a sly smile.

"Yep," he replied simply eating more of his ice cream.

"Why?"

"She was hot," was all he said before he walked off.

I laughed and shook my head following him out of the building. "What are you doing today?" I asked stepping up beside him. My brother was taller than me by three to four inches and had much broader shoulders.

"Patrol, that's why I was in the mansion."

"Patrol? Patrolling what?" I asked confused.

"The Island dumbass," Stone said with a mouthful of ice cream. "I sometimes get sent on patrol."

"Why?"

"Never mind."

"No wait, why are you on patrol all of a sudden?" I asked with a smile.

"Don't worry about it," he replied getting a little irritated.

"You're being punished aren't you?" I laughed, pissing him off further. "You did something wrong and now you're bein punished!" I laughed aloud, some of the other guards patroling the courtyard looked over and smiled.

"Shut the fuck up," Stone said shoving the ice cream cone in my mouth. I almost choked on it! I spat it out and rubbed my mouth with the sleeve of leather blazer.

"Dude your tongue was all over that!" I spat punching his arm. "That's disgusting!"

"Hey I told you to shut up!" He retaliated punching me in the shoulder. I screamed like hell and fell to my knees grasping my shoulder like the arm was about to come off.

"FUCK!" I screamed with drool escaping my mouth and pooling on the floor. Stone bent down and tried to help me up.

"Shit dude," he laughed. "I barely hit you."

"Fuck you! I hate it when people say that, you know that's bullshit!"

"I barely hit you!" He repeated laughing. "When did you start becoming a pussy?"

"That's the arm I used to hit the mirror dude!" I lied, making up a reason other than _Croc beat the shit out of me so I'm soar right now_.

"I thought you hit it with your hand?" Stone asked stupidly.

"You hand is connected to your arm," I snapped throwing a subtle blow at his intellegence.

"Fuck you dude!" Stone said cocking his fist back.

"You do it and I'll tell Lilly you had sex with an inmate a year ago!" I threatened him.

"How did you know about that?" Stone growled.

"Rex has access to all the video feeds remember?"

"You shut up she was hot and coming on to me!" Stone said.

"She had Paranoid Schisophrenia! And Multiple Personality Syndrome!" I laughed finding a wierd amusement by his response.

"And triple "D" Tits!" He countered with a stupid grin.

"Shut up dude you're so wierd!" I laughed as we walked into the next building on his patrol. "So seriously what did you do to get sent on patrol?"

"I fucked that inmate again last night!" Stone said laughing his ass off. I joined in and we walked down the hall howling in laughter.

As I wiped my eyes of tears from laughing so hard I bumped into someone and fell on my ass. "Shit!" I screamed as the bruises started to burn, now knowing the pills only worked when nobody touched them. "S-sorry man, my mistake." As the hand was put down to help me up I noticed it was covered by a shiny black glove. I grabbed it and looked up to see a masked face as well. "B-Batman!" I screamed getting to my feet and backing away from him.

"Ah there you two are!" Lilly said with a smile. "I was hoping you would stop by today so I could...What the hell happened to your hand?" She screamed running over to me and grabbing it.

"OW!" I screamed as the appendage burned from her grip. "Easy, I hurt it punching a mirror."

"You're an idiot," Lilly said glaring at me. "Anyway, Damian I'm sure you've heard of the one and only Batman." She moved aside so I could get a full look at him. As usual his attire was of all black. His cowl was pulled tightly over his head and his cape was draped around his body so he looked like a floating head in a black dress.

"Yeah I know him," I said less than politely. "What is he doing here?" Then I recalled Kainan saying he was stopping by to drop off Twoface. "Where's Twoface?" I asked quickly.

"Locked up already," Batman said in his deep very cool voice. "I brought him twenty minutes ago and once they finished the paperwork he was sent to his cell."

"Batman's already brought in four people today including Mr. Dent," Lilly said with a smile.

"Yeah, cool," I said apathetically. "I think I'll go and speak with Twoface real quick." As I went to move Lilly caught my wrist.

"Actually I was hoping you could see Batman to the door. He's got a lot of work to do keeping Gotham safe and all." She smiled at me but I frowned. "Damian," she said squeezing my wrist tightly, I winced from the bruises. "Go."

"Alright!" I said wrenching my wrist from her grip. I looked at Batman who merely stared at us. "This way." I said leading him down the hallway. As we walked side by side in silence I noticed that Batman and I were about the same height, though he was much bulkier than I was. We continued our trek down the corridor, which I noticed went on FOREVER!

"You're her brother correct?" Batman said breaking the silence. I nearly jumped out of my skin not expecting him to say anything. He didn't look at me just kept staring ahead.

"Yeah," I said looking forward.

"She's a good Warden. She's got this place running like Quincey Sharp never could. You should be proud of her." His voice was the same tone everytime he spoke, it showed no emotion, no concern, happiness, sorrow, nothing! He was like Kainan only manlier. "She's worried about you," he said breaking my thought process.

"Who? Me?" I asked stupidly.

"Yes, she's afraid this line of work is getting to you. That your past is too full of holes for you to function stabely." I looked at him and gritted my teeth.

"My past?" I asked with growing anger.

"Yes, your past experiences with crime. You're parents' murder, the muggings and bullies you've endured, and you're passed encounter with Victor Zsasz." At that point I stopped walking, he stopped when he noticed, and looked back at me.

"You remember?" I asked with shaking fists. "You remember my confrontation with Zsasz?" I looked up at him with tears in my eyes.

"Yes," he said simply. "You were being held hostage by him. He put you in the hospital."

"Do you remember...her?" I asked, a tear running down my cheek.

"The young girl who died, yes," he confirmed without a single sign of remorse on his face or in his voice.

"HER NAME WAS CARMEN!" I screamed getting the attention of staff members at their posts around us. "And she wasn't just some girl! She was the love of my FUCKING LIFE!" I screamed with tears racing down my face. "She may've just been some girl to you but I fucking loved her you son of a bitch!"

"Dr. Rykotsu please!" An orderly nearby said trying to calm me down.

"SHUT UP!" I roared at her, causing her to quiver from me.

"Dr. Rykotsu, I must ask you to calm down," Batman demanded in the same monotone.

"FUCK YOU!" I screamed looking back at him. "She's dead because of you! She would be here, with me! Making me happy! I would be married to her if you had just found us sooner!"

"You're lucky I found you at all," he said in a calm but blunt tone. "Nobody saw you two being abducted-"

"I wasn't abducted asshole!" I growled through gritted teeth. "I went after her! I tried to save her! Where the fuck were you?" Batman only stared at me, which pissed me off even more. "Where the fucking hell were you goddammit!"

"Responding to another crime being commited by the Riddler," he replied simply.

"Fuck you! How could you remember that far back? Huh!"

"Because I put him through the same thing when he came to Arkham with Zsasz and the Riddler," came a voice from behind me. I turned to see Gorian standing behind me. Lilly appeared from behind him with a worried expression on her face.

"Gorian asked him the same questions eight years ago. We were all worried about you and we were all put through a lot of sorrow from Carmen's death," Lilly said walking up to me. "I was still part of the Psychiatric staff when it happened and Gorian was just an average guard at the time." I wiped the tears from my eyes as Gorian added.

"He came in eight years ago carrying both Riddler and Zsasz in with him. When we found out you and Carmen were the victims I freaked out on him just as you are now. It wasn't a good thing to do and I was put on probation for it, just as you will. Now calm down." Lilly grabbed my shoulder, which was badly bruised, though at this point I couldn't feel anything but the knife that was stabbing me in the heart.

"How am I supposed to calm down?" I growled looking back at Batman. "You're supposed to be a fucking hero! You were supposed to save her! Why didn't you save her!"

"I was too late," Batman said softly. "For that I am sorry."

"You're sorry?" I asked incredulously. "You're sorry? No! No, sorry is you accidently took someone's best shirt, sorry is you kiss someone's best friend, sorry is if you actually fucking saved her! That's sorry! I should've died! But instead you saved me! FUCK YOU!" I turned and walked passed Lilly and Gorian shedding a river of tears in my wake.

As I made it in my apartment in the mansion I slammed my door and punched it, denting its frame. I screamed and flipped my coffee table in rage. I went through my apartment punching the walls untill my rampage lead me to my room where I fell to my bed. I screamed again into my pillow and punched the wall beside me. I turned on my back and let my breaths come in heavy spurts. I groaned and laid my arm over my eyes.

"SHIT!" I roared one last time before I calmed myself down and tried to clear my mind. My face twitched as I felt a warming sensation on my cheek. I opened my eyes and realized my hand was bleeding severely. I cursed as I realized I'd been striking objects and pieces of my wall with my injured hand. As I unwrapped it I cursed to find that it had swollen up a bit. "Fuck me," I cursed softly wrapping it back up.

I walked into my kitchen and retrieved a large plastic bowl from my cabinets and proceeded to fill it with a bunch of ice. I took it into the living room, trashed since I flipped my coffee table, and sat down on the couch, dipping my hand into the bowl of ice. I cried out when the cold wet temperature of the ice brushed up against the lacerations and bruises but once my hand numbed I relaxed.

"Damian!" Rex said from behind my door. I thought I might shit my own heart, it scared the crap out of me. "Damian can I come in?"

"Why can't you people leave me alone when I'm pissed?" I shouted towards the door. There was silence.

"I can open this door if I really wanted," was all that came from behind it.

"Ugh! It's unlocked!" I said laying my head back. Rex entered and paused looking around.

"Dude, your decor looks like shit," he said walking over and sitting next to me. "What happened to your hand?"

"Punched a mirror," I replied.

"Why'd you punch a mirror?" He asked.

"Because I got...dammit how many times am I gonna have to say that?" I said glaring at him.

"You okay?" Rex said reaching the point of his visit. "I heard about you screaming at Batman." He smirked.

"What?" I asked noticing the subtle twitch on his face.

"I just realized that'll be, like, the only time I'll ever get to say that in my life." I looked at him with a confused expression. "How many times do you say _So I heard you screamed at Batman today_. To someone." He laughed aloud and I couldn't help but join him.

"I'm fine, I got all my anger out on the furniture," I assured him.

"Yeah...poor coffee table..."

"He had it comin'," I said looking at it.

"So young..."

"Shut up Rex," I said with a laugh. I leaned over and smelled him.

"What the hell are you doing?" He asked.

"You smell like freon, did Freeze's AC break down _again_!" I asked shocked by the repetative task put forth for my friend.

"Yeah," he said simply. I cocked an eyebrow. "What?"

"Yeah? You were so perplexed by that before now you're just..._yeah_? " He shrugged and said.

"You shouldn't be so rash when you talk to someone like Batman dude," he said with a concerned tone. "Seriously I know for a fact that guy can take you in two, easily."

"I'm not afraid of him," I muttered bluntly. "As far as I'm concerned Batman's just as much to blame for her death as Zsasz." Rex stared at me, his expression was disbelief mixed with a bit of disappointment.

"You don't really mean that...do you?" He asked. He was hurt by my words, I could tell. "I mean, Batman saved your life."

"But he let Carmen die," I said calmly. I had let all my anger out ealier and had no ill will towards my best friend. "I know others don't see that as I do but it's true. Think about it in my perspective man, what if I had died and you had lived. What if Zsasz killed me and Batman saved you but he was only just too late to save me. How would you feel?" I waited for Rex's response quietly.

"Zsasz wouldn't've made it to Arkham," he said seriously. "I would've bashed his brains against the floor and pulled his heart from his chest. I would make sure he was alive to watch." I smiled a bit but looked down at my feet.

"I believe you..." I said somberly. "I wish I had half the strength you did..." Rex furrowed his brow and put his hand on my shoulder, I no longer hurt physically, only mentally and emotionally. "Maybe I could've saved her if I did."

"You've got to get over this man," Rex said. "It's been eight years since that happened. Hell I was still working as a mechanic in Metropolis when that shit happened. Stone was on the GPD as a Sargent." He smiled and said. "You shouldn't let the past hinder what you do in the present. It's like my grandfather said, What doesn't kill you today only makes you stronger tomorrow." I looked at him.

"That's from a _Kanye West_ song," I laughed.

"Dude my grandfather told me that long before that retard made that song," he replied with a laugh. "The past shouldn't hinder what you do in the present," he repeated smiling at me. "All that matters is what you make of yourself in the future. What you do in the future. It doesn't matter if you rob banks or save lives, as long as it's what makes you feel whole inside and out. Whatever makes you feel like you're life is worth living man." I looked at him after the inspiring speach and smiled.

"Thanks man, that...that means a lot, really." I hugged him and stood up.

"Where you goin?" He asked standing up after me.

"I'm going to go and try to make myself feel whole again," I replied with a confident smile. "Inside and out."

"Alright man, just make sure that act of confident reprieve doesn't include banging an inmate again," he laughed. "You and Stone I swear to god."

...I walked out of the Mansion and headed for the Penetintiary. I wanted to talk to Croc about what I had planned, and to see how he was doing. I couldn't begin to figure out why, but I was worried that the moment we shared last night was just a flook, like he would be back to his old self today and want nothing to do with me.

I walked through the corridors of the building, now that I had completely memorized the intracate labrynth of hallways it was much easier to avoid anybody I didn't want to pass by, such as Penguin, Scarecrow, and Zsasz of course. I passed by a cell for my daily riddle and found Edward Nigma was standing in front of the bars as if waiting

"Hello Edward," I greeted him with a smile. His reply wasn't what I expected at all.

"Let's cut the small talk shall we Doctor?" Edward said. "Tell me would you, _Two convicts are locked in a cell. There is an unbarred window high up in the cell. No matter if they stand on the bed or one on top of the other they can"t reach the window to escape. They then decide to tunnel out. However they give up with the tunneling because it will take too long. Finally one of the convicts figures out how to escape from the cell. What is his plan?_"

I was a little disturbed by the aggression in his voice and said. "Are you okay Edward?"

"Answer the goddamn riddle Doctor!" Edward snarled with impatience. I was highly disturbed now. However, I didn't want to upset him even more so I thought on it for a moment. I recalled hearing this one before and, considering what a foul mood he was in, I certainly didn't want to get this one wrong and risk losing my friendship with him, no matter how shallow it was. "Hurry, hurry now Doctor it is highly essential that you answer the riddle now think goddammit!" I ignored him for the moment thinking hard on where I had heard it rather than where the answer had come from. Then I recalled something quite nerve-racking. Carmen had told it to me so long ago!

I knew the answer...

"He will keep digging until he piles dirt high enough to climb out the window." My tone was somber when I thought of Carmen but was snapped out of it by Edward's next words.

"Very well, next riddle, _What work can a sculptor never finish_?" He asked in a hurried attitude. "C'mon, c'mon!" I recalled that one too! I heard it someone before and again, it was from Carmen. It was a trick question, the fact that the man was a sculptor was irrelavent. I quickly gave the asnwer.

"His Autobiography, no one can finish their own!" I announced.

"Good, now you have about five hours to figure this one out, it is far more important that you do than the others," Riddler said grabbing his bars and pulling me by the collar so I was up close to him. I was afraid he was going to hurt me, but instead he quickly whispered. "What are the two things that tie these riddles together?"

"HEY! NIGMA LET HIM GO!" Two guards rushed down the corridor towards us. Before they reached us Nigma added.

"How will these two simple riddles save your life?" With that he released me and back away from the bars as the guards finally reached us.

"It's fine," I assured them stopping them where they were. "Carmen told me them," I replied to the Riddler.

"Very good doctor!" Edward replied, his tone a bit more chipper than before. "The second reason! You must figure them out, they could save your life! They could save you quite the hardship. Two simple riddles, what is the second way in which they are connected?" He smiled at me. "What's the time Doctor?"

I looked at the guard since I never carried a watch on me. "Five-eighteen, why Nigma? Are you threatening the Doctor's life?" I looked at them and said.

"You may leave, I wish this to be a discussion between Mr. Nigma and myself." They looked at me suspisciously. "Please." They looked at each other and nodded.

"If you need us Doc, you know where to find us," the other said with a concerned tone. I smiled at their kindness and concern and nodded. As they left I looked back at Edward.

"Four hours and forty-two minutes Doctor, figure it out in that time and it could save you a lot of hassel and possibly your life." And with that he turned away from me. I knew that was his way of saying he would tell me no more and I left for Croc's cell.

...I approached the doors and asked the Guards to let me pass, where I was greeted with a denial. "What?" I asked incredulously.

"Captain Rykotsu has instructed us not to let you into Jones' cell under no circumstances unless he or the warden are accompanying you. Captain's orders!"

"Let me inside I wish to speak with my patient, now!" But they were adamant. I was about to start yelling when a voice came over then intercom.

"Let him in boys, he'll be fine with me in here." It was Lilly! She was behind the door to Croc's cell. As instructed, the Guards unlocked the massive steel door and allowed my entrance. As I entered Croc's cell I saw Lilly standing in front of the glass in the middle of a conversation with him. They were talking!

"Ah, Damian, I was just talking to Mr. Jones here how you used to give me a mental analysis when we were kids, you remember? You'd do it every Friday after school." She and Croc laughed harmlessly. _Okay, so it's one thing to have Lilly in Croc's cell, but they're laughing at me...TOGETHER? _"He was so cute Waylon you should've seen him, he would sit me down on the couch and pull a kitchen chair beside me and he'd have a little clipboard and he'd actually write down everything I said. He'd ask me, 'How was your week? It's okay I'm here to listen.' It was adorable!" Croc laughed...genuinelly...with her. Seriously it wasn't a fake laugh I could tell he was getting a kick out of my childhood stupidity.

"Damn Damian you were born to be a fuckin' doctor weren't you?" Croc laughed shaking his massive head. "I gotta say, it doesn't surprise me from what all she's told me throughout the years." My mind almost exploded from my skull.

"Throughout the years?" I looked at Lilly who only smiled the sweetest smile I've ever seen. "You two have these little chats all the time?" I asked about to pass out from all the 'Holy Shit' moments crashing on me at once.

"Oh yeah," Lilly said smiling at Croc. "Back when I was still a Psychiatrist I actually used to interview him myself, ya know why?" I cocked an eyebrow.

"Cause you're you?" I said with an awkward chuckle.

"Because he reminds me of you," she said with a smile to both of us. I looked at Croc and his mangled maw twisted into a grin. "I'm not allowed in his cell anymore because Gorian says it's dangerous but I know Croc wouldn't hurt me, would ya Croc ol' Boy?" She winked at him and he chuckled.

"Don't push it."

"Oh hush, you know you love me too much," Lilly said winking at him again. And for a moment, I could swear I saw him blush. "Anyway, I'll tell the guards you're allowd in here, Gorian has alotta pull, but not more than this lady!" She pointed both thumbs to herself. It waas good to see her acting like she did when we were young. I looked at her with a small smile.

"It doesn't bother you that I come in here?" I asked her with intrigue.

"Nope," she said simply. "Just don't let the other inmates know, I gotta make sure I scare the shit out of them, but Croc here, he's cool." She looked at him and smiled. She crossed her arms and said. "And I'm assuming you learned a valuable lesson about walking into the cell, right?" My eyes widened in horror.

"You told her?" I shouted at Croc a little louder than meant.

"Told me?" Lilly laughed. "I told _him_!"

"What?" I looked over at Croc.

"She told me that if you ever walk into my cell I should give you a good reason not to." He smiled at me and glanced over at her.

"Yes I did, you should know better than walts right into a crazed maniac's cell. What surprises me the most is that you did it _twice_!" She and Croc laughed in unison, you've never seen a face get redder than mine was at that moment. "Anyway," Lilly continued through tears. "I'll let you two get to talkin, I got...ugh...paperwork, to take care of." She shook her head and kissed my forehead as she passed me. "You boys play nice." And with that she stepped out and closed the door behind her.

"She told you to beat the shit outta me if I ever went into your cell?" I asked.

"Actually she told me to scare the ever-living fuck outta you and I took it from there," he gave the worst and most diabolical chuckle I've ever had the honor of traveling down my spine. I shook my head and asked the question that was bugging me the most.

"Why didn't you tell me you and Lilly go way back?" I asked crossing my arms and smiling at him. "That would've helped me greatly."

"Our first interview I didn't know you were her brother. Plus I hate people, Lilly's just kind to me, she's the reason I got my own fancy cell. This mother fucker is bigger than Bane's!" I laughed knowing he was masking how much he really liked her. "I hated you when I first saw you, when she told me you were her youngest brother I told her I wouldn't kill you unless you really pissed me off."

"That's...nice?" I said with a cocked eyebrow.

"Hey, if you weren't her brother I'd've bitten your head off as soon set a fuckin' foot in my cell." I cocked an eyebrow, I realized long ago how lucky I was to have Lilly as my sister, but now I _really_ appreciated her being who she is.

"Look..." I muttered. "I want to apologize, for what I said last night, about you being alone and all..." I looked up and noticed a strange expression on Croc's face.

"Did you just apologize to me?"

"I've done it before," I replied confused of his expression.

"Yeah...on the interview tapes," Croc reasoned with sigh. "I thought you were just...never mind...it's fine, don't worry about it." He turned around and walked away from the glass. I took time to scrutanize the large miracle of human nature. His skin shined in the lights of his cell showing every individual cell clearly to the human eye. In his cell he didn't wear a shirt, I could see his spine was lined with a row of scales that closely resembles a real crocodilian's. His body structure was odd in the way that his stomach was thinner and leaner than his shoulders, which arched and continued into his head. When he stared walking back with a cigarette clamped between his teeth I noticed more about him I hadn't before. I noticed that on certain spots he had thick dark green scales potruding from his body like spikes and that he did in fact have ear holes which were visible on the sides of his head.

Then my eyes landed on the shock collar around his neck. My eyes filled with sympathy at the sight of the glowing contraption they used to silence the large inmate. "What?" he asked seeing my face.

"How bad does it hurt when they shock you Croc? If I may ask of course."

"Bad enough to shut me up for a second or two," Croc said tapping the collar with a large black claw. "Why? Getting ideas?"

"I hate that fucking thing," I said through gritted teeth. "The guards are no better than fuckin animals, using that thing to control you, if I had the key I'd remove it from you now and..." I trailed into silence looking away from the device.

Croc stared at me in silence. "No wonder the inmates like ya so much," he said lighting his cigarette. I cocked an eyebrow and looked up at him.

"What do you mean?" I asked confused.

"Most of the inmates around the penitentiary don't say bad things about you. They say you might be one of the only doctors around here that understands us, that wants to understand us." Croc exhaled and smoke coursed from between his gnarly teeth.

"Who said that?" I wondered a little flattered.

"Ivy, Quinn, Nigma, and a few others," Croc replied blowing smoke from his small nostrils.

I smiled and turned my back on Croc. I blushed slightly thinking of the inmates and wanting to thank them for their kind thoughts. I thought about going by each of their cells to talk to them, Ivy, Harley, Edward..._Edward_! The riddle!

"Shit!" I said remembering what Edward had said. _These two simple riddles could possibly save your life_. I thought about them. The prisoners and the sculptor. "What do they have in common." I thought about the prisoners' method of escape, building up a pile to reach for the window. I thought of the pile first, pile of what?

"You zone out a lot," Croc said behind his cigarette. "What're you cursin about over there?"

My immediate thought was a pile of bodies. Could that be it? Or was that too simple? The answers had to be linked. Could someone be making a sculpture be made out of the dead? A pile of bodies? I turned to Croc. "What time is it?"

He pointed behind me. "There's a clock on the monitoring system over there behind ya." I turned and saw that I had been here for a little over an hour now. This meant I had little more than four hours left to figure out the riddle.

"Shit, Croc I have to go." And with I found my way outside the cell and back to my room at the mansion.

...There I wandered through my living room and kitchen thinking as hard as I could on what they meant. I had figured out, much to my horror, that the prison escape riddle meant just that, a prisoner was going to try and escape. I thought about the answer to the riddle and wondered if it was literal. Was this prisoner really going to try to escape that way? I highly doubted it but with the Riddler ever detail must be thought over with the upmost scrutiny. After every detail of the first riddle was examined as closely as possible I started on the second.

"The sculptor has nothing to do with the answer..." I said aloud. "But he can't finish his autobiography." I thought about the kick I got from hearing it from Carmen. How did he know she told me? He even told me that was the first connection between the two. "What does the autobiography have to do with an escaping convict?" I muttered to myself. "Why would my life be threatened by an inmate wanting to write a biography of himself. No, no, no, dammit Damian that sounds even stupider out loud." I paced through my apartment, loosing my mind over the answer that just wouldn't come to me.

I considered going to the Riddler to see if I could ask him some questions and slip a hint from him. I shook my head hopelessly at the thought. "There's no way he'll fall for that, not when it comes to his riddles." I groaned and sat on my couch, thinking of Carmen. Her soft pretty face and that beautiful smile. I thought about the night we made love for the first time and the dates and evenings we shared together.

Then, almost like a bullet, I shot upwards and bolted from my room.

...I ran through the courtyard of the asylum and made my way to the penitentiary. I walked through the doors and passed the guards who stared at me as I ran down the halls. I checked my watch, it had taken me over four hours to come up with the answer to the riddle. I followed the routine pathway to Nigma's cell. As I turned the corner I could see his cell down the hall. I made my way to it and stopped to catch my breath as I came up in front of it.

"Edward...I know...I know the answer to your riddle! It's..." I looked at the cell in front of me but it was empty. The Riddler was gone! I looked around for a guard but none were present at this part of the penitentiary. "Hello? Edward?" I looked around cautiously. _Was I wrong?_ I thought to myself. _Was Edward really trying to warn me about his own escape attempt_? I was greatly confused. Why would he tell me? Or at least give me a chance to find out? Was it a test of my intellect?

I looked around and began walking for any of the staff, well those who would still talk to me after my little incident earlier. There weren't any guards around and it was really starting to get to me. "What the fuck is this? Why isn't anyone doing their fucking job?" I stopped when I heard a noise down the hall. I looked around at the cells and noticed something disturbing. All the inmates were staring at me. They watched me closley, most of them with a goulish grin on their faces.

I turned from them and started my trek down the dark corridor." I wondered with every step where the guards were. I groped my pockets for my cell phone and brought it out. I searched my contacts and called Rex's cell phone. "C'mon, c'mon pick up, pick up!"

"Hey dude, where the hell are you?" Rex said in a fluster when he answered.

"In the penetentiary, what's going on? Where are all the guards?" I asked picking up my pace when I heard how frantic Rex sounded.

"A riot broke out in the courtyard a minute ago!" Rex said. "All guards are here trying to contain all the inmates. Dude you need to go back to your room and stay there until we get it all taken care of. All of the psychatrists and doctors working late have been instructed to seek refuge in the mansion."

"Alright, I'll head there now, meet me in the lobby."

"Right man, on my way."

I pressed the _end_ button and pocketed the phone. "Shit," I cursed heading towards the exit. There was a sudden chill that ran down my spine. I turned around and saw a shadow moving down the hall straight at me. I backed up a bit and watched the shadow inch towards me. "W-Who is that?" I called out growing panicked from the dark circumstances.

"Who am I?" An all too familiar voice chimed in from the darkness. "I am God! I am here to give you what you want." My eyes widened as my vision grew blurry. "Don't be alarmed doctor...I am the angel of your dreams. Your guardian angel!"

Zsasz shot from the shadows and tackled me to the floor. I screamed for help but it was muffled by the inmates screaming and whooping at the entertainment. Zsasz's wicked laughter drowned out all other noises. "NO!" I screamed as his hand launced towards my neck. In a frantic panic I grabbed his wrist and halted the bladed tip of a shank fashioned from some unknown object. "Get off me!" I screamed holding him at bay. "God no!"

"Cutting, cutting, cutting, cutting!" Zsasz chanted the same word repetitvely and slashed at me with his blocked hand. I closed my eyes as tears fell down my face. It was a nightmare come to life and I couldn't think straight. I merely cried and screamed as Zsasz's horribly mishapen weapon inched closer to my face. "Cutting, cutting, cutting, cutting, I will give you your mark!" He laughed wickedly, like the cackle of a hyena. "Just like that little slut! You will be posed just like her! Just like your little FUCKING BITCH!"

In one instant I felt something snap inside of me. My blood boiled in my veincs, my pupils diolated, and my hand clenched his wrist like a steel trap. Zsasz howled in pain as the bones in his wrist cracked under my grip. "I will cut you!"

"I'll fucking destroy you!" I roared back in rage shifting my leg and kicking him square in the gut sending him flying backwards. The inmates roared from the turnout but I ignored them only concentrating on the monster I was going to kill! "For Carmen! You fucking monster!" I reared back my leg and shot the tip of my boot straight into his ribs and followed it by mounting him and cracking his cheekbone with a heavy strike with my fist. Strike after strike landed on his face and neck, tears streaming down my face.

Zsasz soon retaliated with a slash with his weapon, cleaving the skin on my forearm. I roared and fell backwards, giving him a chance to straddle me and dive the tip of his shank at my eye, which I redirected with a fist to the weapon hand. He snarled and hissed throwing a punch at me with his shattered wrist, damaging it even further. He laughed at the pain and took another stab at my chest. I wriggled my leg free and punted him off of me. I dove onto him and began striking any part of him my fists could make contact with.

Zsasz was brusied and broken but he kept coming. I gritted my teeth and absorbed every blow that made contact and bruised my scarred flesh. "I will cut you! I have a spot for you doctor! You will be posed! Just like your little whore!"

"You fucking animal!" It was the straw that broke the camel's back! Even over the blood thirsty cries of the crazed inmates cheering at the conflict I roared in an animalistic fury! I launched myself onto Zsasz and grabbed his jumpsuit by the collar and delivered a heavy punch straight to Zsasz's jaw. Zsasz laughed over the roar of the crowd, angering me greatly.

I was blind with rage! I reared back and screamed into his face. "This one is for haunting my every fucking nightmare!" _CRACK!_ The fist fractured his jaw. "This is for what you've done to me!" _BAP!_ It struck his nose, cracking it and shoving it to the side. "And this is for CARMEN!" _CRUNCH_! The blow struck Zsasz on the temple knocking him out cold. His head hit the hard floor with a horrid sound. I felt Zsasz's blood dripping down my face, it was thick and smelled metallic. I released Zsasz's collar and stood over him clenching my fists and standing amongst the excited inmates who cheered my name, pounding against the bars and glass screens before them.

I looked around and was swallowed by the cheers and calls of my name. I smiled evilly and stuck a fist in the air. I roared furociously to the audience, recieving a vivid and voistrous uproar in my honor. I laughed and looked down at Zsasz. "Batman fights for justice," I voiced darkly so everyone could hear. "I fight for Vengence!" And with that I delivered one final kick to his head and made my way to the exit. Refreshed, satisfied...Reborn...


	10. Chapter 10: Interviewing a Psychiatrist

Hi guys! Thank you so much for being patient with me during my overly long Hiatus! This is of course Chapter 10! I hope you guys are happy with it leave all constructive criticism in the reviews, and once again thank you so much for all of the praise and ideas for the story and I hope I don't let you down, Please Enjoy and Please Comment!

Chapter 10: Interviewing a Psychiatrist

The day after the incident with Zsasz I found myself in Lilly's office, stared down by not only my siblings but about three to four other guards. I told them what had happened and they checked the cameras that night. My whole body was sore, not only from the injuries sustained from my fight with Zsasz but also from the beating Croc gave me two days ago. I had taken my pain killers before I left to find The Riddler and the adrenaline pumping through me numbed the pain during the conflict. Now, however, my body ached and my muscles burned like each individual tendon was on fire. Lilly was convinced it was, in fact, self defense. Gorian, however, was convinced it stopped being self-defense after I had him on the ground. "Then it turned into revenge!" He reasoned darkly glaring down at me. "You could've stopped after you had him pinned down but you had to make sure to beat the hell out of him, and in front of more than thirty inmates." I looked at Stone who neither gave an approving or disapproving look, which worried me. Gorian clicked the play button on a remote and the camera's footage appeared on screen.

It showed me delivering the final blow to his temple and standing up and posing victoriously for the incarcerated audience. Gorian paused it. "What the fuck were you doing? Did you think you were in the fucking Roman Coliseum? You're not a gladiator, you're not a warrior, you're a fucking doctor at a mental istitution and you sho-"

"Gorian shut up!" Lilly snapped raising her voice and standing up. "You guys, out!" She addressed the other guards. "Ramsey, please fetch Rex for me, tell him to come in." Everyone in the office aside from Gorian, Stone, Lilly, and myself removed themselves from the room and shut the door behind them.

"What are you doing?" Gorian asserted sternly.

"You don't have to humiliate your brother in front of your fucking friends Gorian!" Lilly chortled with a dark tone. I stared at her in shock, I'd never heard her speak like that before, especially to her own sibling. "You may take some kind of pleasure out of asserting your authority over your own little brother but I won't stand for it! Back off or you're fired!" Gorian was speechless, his face was frozen with an expression I'd never seen before. Lilly sat back in her chair as a knock broke the silence. "C'mon in Rex."

Rex entered as instructed and looked at me with a smile that showed he was glad I was safe and alive. I returned the smile, though it was still weak from the wounds. "Good to see you're still breathing man," Rex laughed clapping me on the back.

"FUCK!" I screamed grabbing the now throbbing section of my back.

"Oh shit, sorry dude," Rex laughed apologetically.

"It's cool...just sore," I replied bowing my head in pain.

"Damian, the point behind this meeting, and my calling you in here, is to, not only understand what really happened, but also to make sure that you'll be able to continuing working as you were prior to last night's episode, are you able or not? Will the previous circumstances convince you to take a vacation or even retire from your current position?" It depressed me to hear her speaking so professionally towards me but I knew it was her job to do so. I shook my head.

"No, I want to continue working here, I enjoy my job, my position," I announced with a confident smile. "I enjoy working with not only you but also with Croc and Edward too. I'm not going to let one incident force me out of the one job that means so much to me." Lilly and Rex smiled at my words. I looked at Stone who rolled his eyes and smirked. When I looked at Gorian he nodded without even a grin.

"Well alright then, Zsasz is to be transferred to solitary once he's released from the medical facility, you won't have to deal with him anymore," Lilly informed me. My stomach churned when her words hit me. Zsasz was still alive? I would never tell them but I meant to kill him, I wanted him dead by my hands, but that monster's resilience and malice kept his heart beating! "I do, however, want you to take the next couple days off," Lilly continued. "No interviews, no work, nothing okay?" She stared at me in all seriousness.

"Okay," I replied with a nod. "I think a day's rest will be good for me actually." I stood up and Rex smiled laying a hand gently on my shoulder.

"I'll come by and see ya tomorrow alright bud?" I smiled and nodded, stepping out of the room.

...I found my way to my apartment. As I opened my door i was surprised to see my apartment, which was a wreck from my little temper tantrum when I left this morning, was now clean and tidy. The coffee table was back where it was supposed to be, the holes in the walls were all patched up, and all the broken glass was swept up and out of sight.

I walked through the house and examined all of the renovations and repairs with a smile on my face. "What the hell?" I laughed then noticed a small piece of paper on the rightly placed table. I picked it up and read it aloud. "Damian, I came up to see how you were doing but you already left. I noticed this place was a horrid pigsty from hell so I thought I'd clean it up for ya, patch up the walls and stuff. Anway, I hope you get some good sleep in an apartment that doesn't look like the ass end of a donkey. Love ya brother! Rex." I laughed and pocketed the note. "Thanks Rex." And with that I walked into my room and fell on my bed. I hadn't realized how tired I really was until my head hit the pillow and I was out like a light.

...I awoke to the sound of knocking on the front door. I sat up with a dreary groan and put on a shirt. As I stepped up to my door I muttered. "Who is it?"

"It's Kainan, do let me in," I opened the door and Kainan stepped inside. He was dressed in a gray suit as always and his hair was a mess, but stylishly so. "How have you been Damian?" He asked turning to look at me.

I shrugged and walked over to sit on the couch. "Fine I suppose, yourself?"

"Irrelevant," he said bluntly. He was quiet for a moment then said. "Fine."

"Good, what can I do for you?" I asked rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"I wanted to see how you were handling yourself, taking a wallop like that from Jones and then such a beating from Zsasz the next day isn't healthy you know." Kainan, while talking, had made his way to the kitchen and had started putting a pot of coffee on.

"Why don't you drink your coffee?" I asked watching him with an impatiant expression on my face.

"Because I don't have Sugai Kona," Kainan said with a smartass smirk on his face. "Now I wanted to know what exactly your punishment was."

"Punishment?" I asked cocking an eyebrow.

"Yes, you must have gotten reprimanded for your little stunt with Zsasz, no?" I glared at him and, with some kind of personal pleasure, asked him.

"You do realize it was self-defense right? I didn't attack him, he escaped his cell and attacked me." I smiled smugly at proving him wrong but he merely shrugged.

"I could've sworn you went looking for some kind of self-satisfying revenge." He had the same apathetic tone which drove me crazy. "It just seems so much like you I suppose."

"Thanks man...you're such an ass...you know me so well," I said through gritted teeth. "Anything else or did you just come to sustain yourself through my self-anguish? Oh and drink my coffee."

"Actually I did yes," Kainan said pouring a cup and adding a bit of milk to it. He took a sip from the coffee mug as pleasure shined on his face blatantly. "I've been hearing of mistakes you've been making during your interviewing sessions. What with being attacked by Quinn, pissing off the patients, and turning off the tape mid-session." I glared at him irritated at his blunt words. "So I'd like to show you a bit of how I do it," Kainan said with the same apathetic face. "I'd like you to see how another psychiatrist does it and see if you can pick anything up for your own sessions in the future."

"And let me guess, you want me to learn from you, the best, right?" I asked sarcastically finding this to be a little more narcissistic of Kainan than usual.

"Actually I'd have preferred you not watch my interviews out of fear that you'd upset the inmate," Kainan replied verbally sticking a nail in my hand. "But nobody else would let you sit in with them out of the same fear as my own. So I took it upon myself to allow you to join one of mine."

"You're an asshole Kainan," I retorted standing up.

"Yes but one that might be able to teach you something should you be willing to listen!" he snapped. I was surprised by the sudden emotion in his voice. "You can't go through life making mistake after mistake and just expect to be thrown another chance Damian. This is an important job, one that requires at least eight years of college for. I participated in ten myself." I sat back down and looked at him as he walked back into the living room with his coffee. "You take for granted that your sister is the Warden and that this fact grants you immunity from all disciplinary charges. But you're wrong!" I winced at the volume of his usually-calm voice. "Think for once in your life, stop being naive and take some responsibility in your career choice. If you mess up again, I promise you, I will see to it myself that you are discharged. There are many inmates in this asylum that need help, and they certainly aren't receiving any from you, no matter what you may think. So shape up and stop being stupid!"

"Kainan...I..."

"Quiet," Kainan snapped cutting me off. "I consider you one of my dearest friends, I do, but that doesn't mean I will overlook your failures like the others have. I'm being professional and would like to help these criminals. And sometimes I'm not even sure if that's what you have in mind anymore. You must help them Damian, not fight them, not injure them, and certainly not give them what they want, conflict." I sank my head low as his words circled around the inside of my mind. "They need help, and that's what you must give them, otherwise they have no one to look to." I looked at him. His apathetic expression was back and the calmness had returned to his voice.

"Okay, I'll try my best Kainan, I'm sorry," I said with a sour expression.

"Thank you," Kainan said swallowing the rest of his coffee and putting the mug in the sink. "Now, I have an interview session tomorrow with Doctor Jonathan Crane and I want you to be there, ten o'clock tomorrow morning." He looked at me for recognition, which came in a nod. "Good, see you then Damian, and do remember to groom yourself before you make yourself present." He nodded with a smile and waved as he exited the room and shut the door behind him.

I sat on the couch with my head low and thought about the words he told me. "Help them, don't give them conflict, they need someone to look to," I repeated to myself quietly. Suddenly there was another knock at the door.

"It's Gorian," the voice behind the door muttered quietly. I got to my feet and opened it. "Got a minute?" My oldest brother asked ducking his head to step into the door.

"Yeah," I said allowing him entry into my apartment. "Something wrong? Am I fired?" I had genuine worry in my voice as Gorian sat on one of the recliners.

His expression showed he was hurt by my words. "No...I...I didn't come to fire you," he muttered interweaving his fingers together. "I...can't a brother come and visit family now and again?" He had confused me already.

"Gorian, this is the first time you've come to see me at my apartment for anything other than to yell at me." I said cocking an eyebrow. My voice was a tad harsher than I meant for it to be but I couldn't help it. I was still angry at him for inviting more guards in to humiliate me. "Plus you've kinda been an asshole ever since I got started here at the Asylum." Gorian's head sank a bit and he sighed heavily, his broad, massive shoulders climbing then falling.

"I know," he said quietly. "I apologize for all the shit I've said and done since you got this job." I couldn't hide my surprise. He apologized? He never apologizes!

"Uh...it...it's alright man," I assured him reluctantly stepping up to him and putting a cautious hand on his broad shoulder.

"No it isn't," Gorian said standing up, scaring the crap out of me. "Look at you, you're scared of me? That's not how it should be." He looked away from me in shame. "I'm your brother, your big brother, I'm supposed to protect you, all of you, that's what I promised dad before he died." My eyes dropped to the ground at the thought of our parents. "I was with him when he was in the hospital...mom...she was already..." he didn't finish the thought. I knew what he was going to say. He turned to me and laid both of his hands on my shoulders. "I told dad I would protect you, you, Lilly, and Stone. But mostly you."

"Me?" I asked a little surprised.

"Yeah, dad was afraid for you, the rest of us, Stone, Lilly, and I we each spent at least five years knowing our parents. You were two years old when they died, my god you barely knew them." I could see his eyes begin to swell up with tears. "He was so ashamed of leaving you without parents. We knew our parents, were able to grow up with them more than you, learn from them." Gorian's hands dropped from my shoulders and he sat back down on the recliner. "He wanted me to take good care of you, especially. He knew you wouldn't have parents to look up to, to protect you." He looked at me. "I'm your brother, but I also wanted to be a father figure for you when you were growing up."

"And you were," I said with a smile laying a hand on his shoulder again, this time all caution was gone. "You were a great brother for me Gorian, all three of you taught me so much growing up, even Stone, but you, you were there when I needed help, whenever I was bullied by the older kids you were there to scare them off and told me to turn the other cheek, when I didn't understand a sexual innuendo, analogies, personal problems, I came to you and you helped me to understand them without hesitation. You were an excellent mentor," I rubbed his shoulder gently. "And an even greater brother." He looked up at me, I followed a tear sliding gently down his cheek, but he smiled. "You helped me when nobody else was around, when nobody else understood. You were the closest thing to a father I had as a child."

"I'm sorry I've been acting the way I've been," he apologized again standing up, his full height towering over me. "I want you to know that no matter what happens, never let anyone tell you what you should do." He smiled softly. "Not even me or Lilly. You make your own decisions Damian. Only you know what's right for yourself." I cocked an eyebrow and asked.

"Where did this come from?"

"It's a lesson I've lived by all my life and it's one I meant to teach you for so long but never found the patience or time to." He turned from me and headed towards the door. "I know your fight with Zsasz was self-defense. And if it wasn't, that was your decision to make. And yours alone." He nodded at me and smiled turning to leave, shutting the door behind him.

I was left to my thoughts. "I'm getting a lot of life lessons lately," I chuckled with a warm smile. I walked through my apartment and crashed on my bed.

...

I stepped through the corridors of the psychiatric ward impatiently poking at the bandages around my injured hand, which I so professionally wrapped once again. "Damn thing's gonna get infected," I grumbled down at my injury.

"It's never going to heal if you keep poking at it," Kainan said scaring the shit out of me.

After recovering my heart which I immediately threw up from fright, I glared back at him. "Don't fucking do that!" Kainan's lips curved into a wicked little grin but quickly straightened again as he began walking to his office.

"I have Jonathan Crane already seated in my office and I'd appreciate you not disrupting his composure," Kainan explained with his hands folded behind his back. "Dr. Crane and I have become quite comfortable with each other's company and I'd appreciate it staying as such." He turned to me as he neared the door to the office where he conducted his sessions. "Are we clear on this."

"Yes mother," I said picking my nose with my pinky immaturely knowing it would aggravate him.

"And _please_ refrain from doing that," Kainan said with an irritated tone.

"Yes mommy," I said pulling my hand away and smiling innocently.

"Oh and one more thing," Kainan said.

"Yes?" I asked curiously.

"Shut the hell up," Kainan said hiding his grin.

"YES SIR!" I bellowed saluting.

"Damn straight," he replied opening the door and stepping inside.

Upon entering the office I felt a strange sensation overtake me, though it was strange it was also familiar. Sitting in the chair nearest to the door was the same thin, handsome, dark-haired man I saw some time ago in his cell, one I went to certain lengths to avoid. Crane turned and his orange eyes landed on me, a small, twisted grin befell his lips and his square-rimmed glasses flashed with interest.

"Hello Dr. Crane," Kainan greeted him kindly.

"Hello Dr. Fall," the infamous Scarecrow responded in a mild, attractive, and somewhat sultry voice. "And I see we are joined by the infamous Dr. Rykotsu."

"Infamous?" I couldn't stop myself from asking.

"You are the one who so viciously assaulted Mr. Zsasz are you not?" His fiendish grin gave me cold chills I had only gotten from Zsasz before.

"It was self-defense," I replied averting my eyes and seating myself next to Kainan across the table.

"Let us begin the interview, Dr. Rykotsu will be joining us today Jonathan, is that alright with you?"

"The more the merrier Kainan," Crane replied coolly.

I was a bit disturbed by the first name basis they had acquired with each other but ignored if for the time being as Kainan hit the record button on his tape recorder...

_Click..._

**Kainan Fall: **This is Doctor Kainan Fall, six year veteran member of the Psychiatric staff here at Arkham Asylum. Joining me today is Doctor Damian Rykotsu and Doctor Jonathan Crane. Also referred to as the Scarecrow by Gotham citizens.

**Damian Rykotsu: **I didn't know you worked here for six years. I mean I knew it was for a long time but, Jesus, six years?

_...silence..._

**Damian Rykotsu: **...okay, jeeze, just saying...

**Kainan Fall:** Doctor Rykotsu will be joining Doctor Crane and myself as merely a witness to how an Interview Session should be rightfully conducted. The current time is...four o'four p.m. Thursday November, ninth.

**Jonathan Crane: **Accurate and precise as always Doctor.

**Kainan Fall:** Of course, as customary with our sessions I've brought with a pot of fresh, hot tea, would you like some Doctor Crane?

**Jonathan Crane:** Of course, Doctor.

_Tea pot pours..._

**Kainan Fall: **Damian?

**Damian Rykotsu: **I'm good, thanks.

**Kainan Fall: **So Jonathan, we were previously discussing…Damian? Are you alright?

**Damian Rykotsu: **Huh? Oh…yeah…just a little light headed I guess…I'll be fine…

…_Tea pours into cup…_

**Damian Rykotsu: **Kainan I said I was fine, I didn't want any tea…

**Kainan Fall: **Just drink it and shut up.

**Damian Rykotsu: **Fine!

**Kainan Fall: **Now Doctor Crane, last time we left off…

**Jonathan Crane: **My assistance in the Joker's hostile takeover of this lovely asylum, yes.

**Kainan Fall: **Yes, so tell me Doctor, what was the point of helping the Joker in such a pointless conquest? One you must've known was destined for failure.

**Jonathan Crane: **Dear Doctor, you must know of the Joker's charisma? The man could lead the planet in a second holocaust if he found it necessary…or funny…enough.

**Kainan Fall: **And if he did…? Would you follow him in such an apocalyptic opportunity?

**Jonathan Crane: **Doctor…of course I would!

**Damian Rykotsu: **Why?

…_silence…_

**Jonathan Crane: **Why Doctor?

**Damian Rykotsu: **Yes, why would you assist someone in something like that? Such a horrible event in history and you would be completely willing to aide a madman like the Joker in initiating another? So many people would die, or worse…the holocaust was…

**Jonathan Crane: **It was survival! It forced humanity into its basest element. A primal instinct comes over us, we slaughter each other, we run, we hide, and when we are found we fight like cornered animals…and what, good doctor, causes us to act this way?

…_silence…_

**Damian Rykotsu: **…fear…

**Jonathan Crane: **Very good, Doctor.

**Damian Rykotsu: **Then that was your intention for…

**Jonathan Crane: **Dear Doctor have you even read my files? Those the warden and her marry group of guards have so kindly written about me over the years of my incarceration? My methods are purely based on my research. My life, my actions, my reasoning, all based around my ever-growing love of human fear!

_Chair legs scratch across the floor_

**Damian Rykotsu: **If you're such an expert on human fear than you should know that it is one of the many elements in life that should not be tampered with Crane! You're messing with the very psyche of men, something that causes them to…to…

**Jonathan Crane: **Do you understand now Doctor? Do you understand why I love the very thought of fear? You are correct in saying that fear is an element that must not be tampered with. But you must realize; if one can possess the very thing that causes fear, can manipulate fear for his own personal gain…

**Damian Rykotsu: **You become a god…

**Jonathan Crane: **(Laughs) My dear Doctor, you give me too much credit! …I like this one Dr. Fall you must invite him to more of our interviews!

**Damian Rykotsu: **…

**Kainan Fall: **Dr. Rykotsu…are you alright?

**Damian Rykotsu: **Yes…yes I'm fine…

**Kainan Fall:** Dr. Crane would you mind giving us a moment?

**Jonathan Crane: **Not at all Doctor.

…_(click)…_

Kainan turned off the recorder, grabbed me by my collar, and subtly dragged my ass out of the interviewing room. As we got outside I realize how fucked up I felt. My vision was blurring and my mind was starting to fade in and out, my thoughts couldn't settle on one subject it kept hazing over. "What's going on?" Kainan laughed and said.

"I told you to drink the tea didn't I?" Damian looked at him and cocked an eyebrow as his woozy head till twisted.

"What is with you and the tea?"

"Damian I have been interviewing Dr. Crane for quite some time, however, the very first few times I sat down to interview him I had the same reaction. You see, Crane has been using that fear toxin for so long that it has practically imprinted itself into his skin. So, whenever he perspires even the slightest bit, the toxin will evaporate into a gaseous state and will circle around the room infecting anyone close enough." Damian couldn't believe Kainan had figured that out. He looked at Kainan respectfully and replied.

"So you've made a serum out of the tea that is suppose to negate the effects of Crane's fear toxin?" Kainan nodded smirking. "That's absolutely genius!"

"Yes I know," Kainan said with a small chuckle. "Now Damian, it would seem that I've found your problem when it comes to these interviews."

Damian cocked an eyebrow again. "Oh? And what might that be?"

"You get far too involved in them." Damian looked confused so Kainan continued. "It's simple, you go in ready for a conversation, ready to learn everything about them, all the way down to the deepest, simplest detail. Am I correct in saying so?" Damian was still confused but nodded and said.

"Of course Kainan, that's our job isn't it? I mean we're expected to go in there and get results in any way we can short of assault of any variation…right?" Kainan sighed.

"Usually, you'd be right, but Damian you must understand, these are hardened criminals! They kill, they rape, they steal, they pillage, and they destroy! Damian you're not dealing with regular mental patients in Arkham, you're dealing with Drug Dealers, Mafioso's, Corporate Leaders, Terrorists, Murderers, and just plain Sadists all together. Damian we want you to get only what you need then get the fuck out of there and move on to someone else, for your own sake! We don't want you getting so far into the inmate's head you can't crawl back out. You need to be careful how much you pry and dig or you may find yourself digging a hole you won't be able to…or worse…won't _want_ to dig out of!"

Damian was disturbed by the seriousness in his voice. "Kainan…you…you don't honestly think I'd become one of these psychopaths do you? I mean…c'mon I'm better than this I couldn't hurt a fly let alone…" I had to stop, my mind landing on the events only a couple days ago. I had intentionally beaten Zsasz to a bloody pulp on the Penitentiary floor. "Look…never mind…I'm gonna go see Lilly. I'll see you later Kainan…" Without another word I left my dear friend alone in the halls of the building as I wandered out into the courtyard towards the mansion.

My mind impulsively wandered to all of the event since my employment here at the asylum, it was so hard to think it was only a little over a month with so much that had happened. "Jesus…I must be the worst employee they've ever fucking hired…" I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck stressed from the lack of sleep and numerous other things. Suddenly my thoughts were cut short by the sound of footsteps approaching. I looked up and saw a group of guards all attached to chains. Each chain linked into a collar around a tall man's neck. I could barely see past the guards but I was able to make out the prisoner's attire. A black pair of pants with a black tank top adorned the very broad man. When the guards passed by me I recognized the mask on his head, white and black with red sockets for the eyes. "Bane…" I whispered to myself. I did a stupid thing then. I ran up beside the traveling guard band and began trying to converse with the extremely dangerous prisoner. "Hello Bane, my name is Damian Rykotsu, I'm a psychiatrist here at the Asylum. How are you today?" I smiled at the chained prisoner, the guards transporting him stared at me like I was a mentally handicapped child with underwear on my head. Yeah, ever gotten that look before? Of course, Bane said nothing as he walked in unison with the rest of the caravan. "I was wondering if you wouldn't mind me coming by your cell and speaking with you later…" he remained silent, I just felt more and more foolish as I walked beside them like a dog barking at a car. "…if you don't mind of course. You see, I've read your file and, as I figured, you're a very intelligent man, you were…"

"Doctor Rykotsu!" One of the guards said stopping the rest of the group. I felt my heart skip a beat as I tripped over my own feet and landing square on my face. As I regained my footing to the snickers and giggles of the guards I cleared my throat.

"Yes?" I said stupidly with a dumb grin.

"With all due respect Doctor, please remove yourself from the courtyard before I am forced to do it myself!" He stared at me in the same fashion Gorian always did when I fucked up. I opened my mouth but nothing came out. I bowed my head and nodded returning to my previous trek to the mansion, a symphony of laughs walking in the other direction behind me. My face, beet red, was filled with disgrace and embarrassment. "Fuck you…" I whispered as I opened the door to the mansion.

I found my way to Lilly's office and knocked on the door. When no answer replied I opened the door to an empty room. I sighed and knocked my head softly against the door. "What's wrong with me? The first sign that things are going downhill and I go to Lilly? What the fuck is wrong with me?" I shut the door and locked it up as I went through the corridors and, again, out into the courtyard. "Maybe a riddle will make me feel better." I smirked a bit as I thought of Edward's clever little grin, the look on his face when his mind was busy at work devising new ways to foil my intelligence. I smacked myself in the forehead and screamed. "What the fuck is wrong with me?" I couldn't believe, because I was depressed, that I would actually go to The Riddler for a pick-me-up. I was going to visit a convicted criminal for a way of bettering my mood! I might as well go and find Zsasz and ask him to fucking cut me a few times just to make sure I'm still alive!" In an act of impulse I found myself, back against a tree, in the middle of the courtyard. I leaned my head back against the tree behind me and sighed out. "What is wrong with me?" I blinked up into the sky. "And why did I say that again?" I thumped my head against the tree gently. "Why is it I have to fuck up on every turn? I round a corner and I slam into a fucking stop sign. Or hit by a fucking car…" he remembered the beating from Croc. "…ok…semi-truck." He bounced his head off the tree harder. "Why can't I be like the other Psychiatrists and just mind my own goddamn business? Why do I find myself getting close to these convicted criminals?" Most would be able to answer the questions concerning their own actions, but, in my own case…I had no fucking idea! I couldn't fathom why the hell I wanted so badly to become close to those who chose to murder and rape and torture others. "I mean…nobody is truly innocent right? We've all sinned…we've all committed some sort of crime…maybe not as bad as others….but still…is what I'm doing really that bad?" I thought for a few minutes. "Wait a minute!" I jumped to my feet at a sudden realization. "I'm trusted by the fucking inmates! A few of them even told me they respected me! Even fucking Edward Nigma told me he fucking respected me! How many of the fucking doctors can say that?" The smile had returned to my face upon my realization. I was getting more respect than any of the fucking guards. "I'm getting more respect than Lilly, and she's the goddamn warden!" I laughed and stood up straight as I wandered off towards the penitentiary. "I think I'll go and hear me a riddle!"

I walked proudly down the halls of the penitentiary. I looked like a dumbass trust me… As I passed the cells I heard whispers about my fight with Zsasz and how I had kicked his ass, one even noting how I reminded him of a gladiator from ancient Rome, it may have been Maxi Zeus, not sure. I was on my way to Nigma's cell when I was stopped by the calling of my name. I jumped a bit not actually expecting any of the inmates to actually call my attention. I turned to see the dark cell that belonged to none other than Jonathan Crane. I stepped cautiously over to the cell that was imprinted with the stench of the fear toxin. "Yes Doctor Crane?" I asked without a sign of fear.

"I wanted to apologize for ruining our interview today," he said with dark courtesy. I cocked an eyebrow as I replied.

"You did no such thing Doctor Crane. If anything, my running off in the middle of it ruined it, so I apologize." The doctor's dark orange eyes flashed as his thin handsome face curled into a grin.

"Ah yes, I suppose so, what sent you away? If I might ask?" He whispered darkly.

"I had to speak with Lilly," I lied not wanting to admit that his fear toxin had gotten to me, I knew he'd find satisfaction in that. "I'm sure I could talk Dr. Fall into conducting another interview with you while participate as an audience." Crane stood and strode to the bars of his cell, his rectangle slid to the tip of his nose as his orange eyes peered into mine.

"I've a better idea doctor." He pressed his face through the bars so his lips were next to my ear. "Why don't we just have a little interview right here and now, just the two of us?" He pulled away from the bars again and grinned wickedly, his thin white teeth gleamed in the light. "What do you say Doctor?" I cleared my throat, nervous at the wicked sadistic doctor being so close to me, close enough for me to inhale a good bit of his imprinted fear toxin.

"I suppose I don't see the harm in it I suppose," I amused him as I crossed my arms and looked at him. "So? Where shall we start?"

Crane twisted grin disappeared into a look of the utmost seriousness. He sat on his cot and asked. "When did you first realize you wanted to penetrate the minds of the criminally insane Doctor?" I blinked and stopped him.

"Wait…it was to my understanding I was going to interview you Doctor Crane."

Crane smiled replying. "I said no such thing. Are you afraid to answer my questions? That would be unfortunate." I gave a suspicious look to the sadistic super criminal but decided to play along.

"When I was a child I wanted to help people…well…get better in the head for lack of a better term. At least, that's how I put it during my childhood. While other kids pretended to be astronauts, cowboys, Batman, and Superman I would psycho-analyze my sister every Friday to see what was troubling her and try to make her feel better." I laughed thinking how I use to prescribe her gummybears in place of actual medicine, but I kept that part to myself.

"Why such a need to help those who can't even help themselves?" Crane asked pushing his glasses up to the bridge of his nose. "What benefit did it grant you?"

"The benefit was knowing that I'd helped them," I muttered completely forgetting I was supposed to be humoring Crane instead of getting psycho-analyzed myself. "I wanted so bad to help those who couldn't help them. I never had many friends growing up, and I wanted everyone I helped see that they had a friend in me…"

"I see, and what about those who didn't see it that way? How did they retaliate?"

I shivered at the thought of some of the bullies he faced in school. "They beat me within an inch of my life…" Crane's mouth formed a grin.

"And what did you do?" He asked darkly.

"I tried again…" I replied quietly. Crane's smirk disappeared.

"Why? What reason did you have to try and provide a friend for ingrates like them?"

"I pitied them…" Crane cocked an eyebrow and stood from his cot.

"Pitied the ones that thrashed you into a bloody, heaving pulp on the floor? And why exactly did you pity them Doctor?" I was silent…lost in thought. "Doctor? Why did you pity the savages?"

"Because they did it out of a self-loathing for themselves…I did it because they needed a friend. A real friend, not one that feared or respected them for their hostile actions…I wanted them to know that friends existed out of compassion." I realized after I said it how cliché and lame that sounded but shook it off.

"I see, did you every reach any of the brutes that beat you?"

This time is was my grin that broadened. "Yes," I replied smugly. "My best friend Rex use to be one of the bullies that would beat the shit out of me when I tried to help."

Crane's face was of shock, but I had my back turned so I couldn't see it. "And how did this come about exactly?"

"I found him crying in the bathroom at our school. It turns out that his dad was just as ruthless to him as he was to me. Well…he didn't like that I saw what I did so he attacked me, nearly beating me to death. He told me I would never tell anyone what I saw and that he was going to kill me." I paused for a moment remembering the pain my best friend today had brought me that day so long ago. The tears that mixed with blood and dirt that day. "After he was done beating me he pushed my head into the toilet and tried to drown me…" Crane was silent at this point. "He pushed my head in, it would almost seem humorous if I wasn't screaming into the water as I gasped for any air that I could get."

"And what happened then?" Crane asked sadistically.

"My brother Stone saved me. It was only to my great luck that he had to go to the bathroom at that point in time. If not….i would be dead right now…"

"At the hands of the man you call your best friend."

I smiled a bit. "He showed up when I was in he hospital." I laughed a bit. "He told me he was sorry he freaked out like he did, mind you he said all of this with a broken nose, black eye, busted lip, and fractured ribs, but he still apologized."

"Your brother must've really roughed him up," Crane said with a grin.

"Stone? He kicked his fuckin ass." I grinned too, we both laughed a bit. "Lilly and Gorian showed up while I was in the hospital…asked me if I was planning on pressing charges against Rex."

"And you did."

"No…" Crane looked at me in shock his mouth open. "I mean yeah he pretty much broke half the bones in my body and I was eating out of a tube…but…" I grinned again with my back pressed against the bars. "But I couldn't be the reason Rex went to jail. He had his whole life ahead of him and if he went to jail it would ruin his school career…" I thought about it for a moment. "Ok…he did that by dropping out of high school…but still…at least it wasn't on me."

I stopped at the sound of Crane laughing, softly at first but then it evolved into a wicked cackle that made me feel quite uncomfortable. I turned to him, his face was in his hand and his eyes looked like they were full of tears of amusement. "I don't believe it! So after you refused to press charges, let me guess, he stuck by your hospital bed, you two got to know one another better, then you became thick as thieves? Oh and then, I know, I know…" he began laughing again. "…he protected you throughout high school? He made sure nobody ever bullied you again? Right?" I was silent. He guessed every bit of it…how did he know? How could he have?

"Yeah…that's right…" He laughed wickedly at my response cackling into his hand like a maniac.

"I figured as much!" He laughed a bit longer before it died down into a dark giggle. "And now, with no highs school diploma, no GED, and no college degree, he's working here as head of mechanics and engineering under your sister." He grinned turning it towards me. A nervous chill crept quickly down my spine.

"Yes…?" I couldn't figure out where he was going. What was he leading to?

"And all thanks to you!" His grin only broadened. "And let me guess, after he dropped out of high school he joined the military for a number of years and you didn't hear not a word from him until he got back correct?" I nodded a little confused. "And around the time your sister was fighting to become warden of the Asylum he finally contacted you? Said he knew for a fact that your sister would become warden in no time, he had full faith in her? Then you two started hanging out as friends again and you were so happy to see him?" It was then I figured out what he was saying.

"Are you saying…the only reason Rex regained contact with me was to cozy up to Lilly and get a job here at the Asylum?" I was shocked he would assume something like that.

"NO!" He pressed his face up against the bars wrapping his thin bony fingers around them. "Not just to get a job here! So you wouldn't press charges against him, so you wouldn't tell his daddy who would beat the shit out of him, so you wouldn't get him expelled, so you would get him a job at this asylum because he's a pathetic bum who couldn't finish school, joined the military so he'd make daddy and his own self-loathing proud. Then he had a naïve friend like you to manipulate into giving him whatever he wants. You are so fucking pathetic!" I grabbed his wrists, my eyes burning with anger as I tightened my grip around his bony limbs. He winced from the pain but smiled through it. "What's the matter Doctor? Getting angry? Over the truth? You know it's true don't you? And that's what burns you, what gets you angry. I know this doctor. But are you willing to admit it to the denial that festers in your mind? Or are you _afraid_ to face the truth?" My teeth began to grind in anger as my body shook but my grip still tightened. I felt his body begin to tense as the bones in his wrist began to pop. "Go ahead doctor, break my wrists, that wouldn't sit well with your sister now would it?"

He was right, though it took me a moment to realize it. If I had broken his wrists what would Lilly say? I wouldn't be able to get away on self-defense this time…I released his wrists but kept the same rage in my face. "Watch what you say about my friends Crane, even if you are right about him…even if he is just using me to get what he needs…you don't talk about my friends that way Crane…or I will break you r scrawny little neck you got me asshole?" It's only a bit later that I realized how hostile and monstrous I sounded, but at the moment I didn't care I wanted to break this bastard in half and had half a mind to do so. So without a word I turned from him, forgetting my original plan of coming to see Edward and heading towards my room in Arkham Mansion.

Once I was in my room I fell on the couch and sighed as I thought on what Crane had said. I found examples from past situations. Rex had on more than one occasion proven Crane wrong. But what Crane had said, that Rex used me to get this job, that he sucked up to me to prevent expulsion from school, to keep his dad from finding out. I sighed and closed my eyes and leaned my head back. "What the hell is going on? What was I thinking talking to Crane like that?" I opened my eyes and looked around. "Who the hell am I talking to?" I sighed again and was surprised where my mind wandered. Three places actually, my first thought was how Jones was doing of course, then I thought of Ivy…the last time we I went to see her…well, yeah, my third thought was my brief encounter with Bane earlier. I didn't get a chance to actually speak with him because of that fucking guard…he would pay…I'm tired of being laughed at! Croc would understand…Ivy would understand…and I bet Bane would understand. "Think I'll go talk to him tomorrow…"


	11. Chapter 11: Monsters and Men

Hello, Hello my beloved friends. I am sorry for the hiatus…again…Please don't throw anything at my head. I have been really busy with Real Life stuff: my job and college and rent and bills and bullshit and whatnot! But I finally settled down into my new place, got to playing Batman: Arkham City again and decided it was time for the next chapter you guys have been waiting so patiently for! –Dodges Thrown Object- Okay okay! Jeeze. Without further holdup! Here is Chapter 11! Remember to leave all constructive criticism in the comment section. Hope you guys like it! Enjoy.

Chapter 11: Monsters and Men

I found myself in front of the very large door, much like the one leading to Killer Croc's cell, only much larger and thicker with a palm scanner. I watched as William North, one of the few guards still left after the Joker's take over, placed his palm on the scanner. The door read his palm and the bolts and gears shifted, grinded, and turned allowing entrance. "Okay, you've got half an hour in there Doc, make sure to keep it simple and don't try anything alright?" I nodded to Officer North and entered, the door slamming shut and locking behind me.

As I stepped into the room with the large, thick glass cell I saw the man known as Bane sitting with his legs crossed and his hands on his knees in meditation. I approached the glass and looked behind me to find the intercom switch, allowing me to speak to Bane through the microphone. I flipped the switch and stepped up to the glass and stared at him. I didn't want to break his concentration, so I waited until he was finished. I scrutinized the man in front of me thoroughly. Dressed in all black, tank top, leather pants, combat boots, and his famous mask all adorned his physically-hardened physique. His mask was obviously that of a Luchadore fighter and Spanish in origin. It was black with white patterns outlining his eyes, nose, and mouth, it was complete with red lenses over the eyes to give it almost a demonic appearance. He was menacing, but somehow, beautiful.

Bane's current stature was small, well, about as big as me. He had a little over an inch on me, height-wise. I read his files and saw him on the news when he was under the influence of the steroid codenamed _Venom_, which Bane became famous for using. He was still fit and very toned, obviously from working his body to peak physical condition over the years of lifelong incarceration. As I looked over the super criminal behind the glass I now noticed his breathing had returned to normal and I saw subtle movement. I was sure his meditation was complete; so I spoke.

"Hello Bane," I said with a smile, a reassuring smile. One that I hoped would let him know I'm not like the other doctors. He said nothing, he only stared at me. "My name is Damian Rykotsu, I'm not sure if you remember me but I was the one that tried speaking to you in the courtyard yesterday." He was silent. I sighed and crossed my arms staring at him silently as well. For a few minutes nothing was said, we only stared at one another awkwardly as I waited for him to speak. It was obvious Bane had more patience. I groaned in frustration. "Look! The silent treatment was kinda cool at first but after I've endured it from thirteen different convicts before you it's just getting fucking old." I walked up to the glass and tapped on it. "If you don't wanna talk that's fine, I'm about used to it by now. So I guess this was a waste of both of our times and for that I apologize. Goodbye Bane."

I turned to leave approaching the door and as I was about to knock I heard Bane speak behind me. "What is it you want _médico_?" I swung around to see Bane standing with his arms crossed over his chest in front of the glass. Thank god I forgot to switch off the intercom. _Damn he is a lot more intimidating when he's standing up._

Staring at the infamous criminal I stepped back up to the glass and replied. He _definitely _had a few more inches on me. "I just wanted to talk to you, I read your dossier. I was very impressed with what I read."

Bane's natural Hispanic accent came out thickly as he spoke to me. "And what did you read?"

I wasn't sure why it mattered to him but I trailed off, reciting what I read in my own words. "Well, to sum up most of it, you're the perfect balance of brain and brawn. You were born in a prison in Santa Prisca, you were forced to live out your father's sentence from birth, you are a force to be reckoned with, a living juggernaut, and a monster trapped in a man's body." Bane was silent when I finished and it took him practically a whole minute to respond.

"You find me a monster, _médico_?" He finally said in a hushed tone.

"Well…I mean…no…" I muttered blushing and kicking myself for speaking impulsively again. "Zsasz is a monster, he murders for some narcissistic need to feel better about himself. He is a greedy, selfish, sick fuck that has deserved the worst form of torture for far too long without actually receiving it!" I found my fists balled now, my knuckles were white as snow and I was shaking.

"What makes you less of _un __monstruo_?" Bane said in the same monotone. I looked up at him surprised. "Why is he any more so than you?" My eyes widened at the question. Wasn't that obvious?

"I haven't murdered anyone! I haven't gutted their lifeless bodies and posed them in sick positions for the lone purpose of humoring myself!" I felt a tear run down my cheek as my mind flickered to Carmen again. "I am not a monster! HE IS!" I could feel my face burning by the last words.

Bane just stood there, in front of me. The red lenses of his mask, the mask my sister allowed him to keep in here, revealed two cold, hollow eyes that watched me like a hawk. The eyes of a monster? I wasn't sure. I felt a very human chill run along my spine and my body tensed under his seemingly inhuman stare. The eyes of judgment.

"You have not committed homicide? You believe that is what makes you _un_ _Monstruo_?" I felt his stare ease its grip on my soul. "He has murdered and so have I. I did it for _venganza_, to survive, to get what I wanted, and yes, sometimes for fun. And yet you don't find _me_ a monster?" I was a little confused, not about what he said, more so, why I told him he wasn't a monster. He was a monster! He's killed so many! This is the beast-of-a-man that broke the Batman's spine!

So why didn't I tell him that?

"You say you are no _monstruo_ because you've committed no _homicido_?" Bane mused. "Yet you have thought about this? You have considered bashing a man's brain in when he cuts you off in traffic? You have considered blowing up a _banco_ after the teller has refused your lone. You have not done it, _estás en lo correcto_. But that does not make you any less of a monster."

"How can it not?" I felt my face start to burn with anger. He was comparing me to Zsasz? He was saying I was no less than that disgusting piece of filth? I felt my body begin to shake, I felt my eyes start to blur, it was as angry as I've ever gotten. Then again, it was the first time I was ever compared to Zsasz in my life. "I don't murder people! I don't choose when they're life ends! I don't take it upon myself to play executioner! To play the exterminator! To play-fucking-GOD!"

"And yet you think about it all the time. All humans do, _médico_. Humans are wrought with sin. It is only _natural_." He turned away from me. I punched the glass before I could even register a thought.

"DON'T TURN YOUR BACK ON ME!" I was fuming now. I was red in the face and I was drooling.

Bane turned back to me with a smirk on his lips. "Or what?"

I merely stood there. I was silent save my heavy breathing. What was I gonna do? What could I do? Beat him up? HA! Yeah right! I wouldn't stand a chance against this Latin juggernaut. Was he right? Was I just as much a monster for _contemplating_ murder? No. I've learned much from the inmates here but I was not going to believe this. "Fuck you Bane."

I turned around and walked towards the door. Bane laughed and called to me. "You do not have to believe me, _médico._ _Objeto__en el fondo,__sabes__que tengo razón._"

I didn't understand a word of that. I didn't care what it meant. I was done speaking to him. I was done listening to his madness. I was done caring. I pounded on the door with my fist until Officer North opened the door and I stormed out without a word.

I had to do something productive. I had to get my mind off of Bane, off of Zsasz, and off of my work. That's when I heard her voice.

"Hey Doctor! C'mere for a sec, would ya?" I turned and stared into the dazzling blue eyes of Harley Quinn. I looked around for a moment and then rested my gaze back on Ms. Quinzel's beautiful features and pointed at myself. She giggled _almost_ innocently and nodded. "Get over here I wanna talk to ya!" She kept waving her hand forwards and backwards. Eventually, I stepped over to meet her at her cell. "Ya look tense." She spoke in her thick New York accent.

"Yes, Ms. Quinzel, you could say that." I sighed and rest my forehead against the bars. Only later did I realize how foolish that course was since Harley Quinn could've easily snapped my neck at any given point. Thankfully, instead, she offered me a proposition.

"Can I get you to do me a H-U-U-U-U-GE favor?" Actually, she pronounced favor as _favah_.

"Ms. Quinzel." I looked up at her. "I'm not going to break you out of Arkham." She laughed aloud, snorting a couple times. It was kinda cute.

"No, no, no. I just want you to deliver something to an inmate, courtesy of Mr. J." I would be lying if I said I wasn't intrigued.

"What's the item?" It didn't even occur to me then that she had somehow obtained contact with the Joker. I just wanted to know what I was meant to deliver.

"It isn't anything deadly or anything that will help someone escape. It's just a note." She handed me the note in a sealed envelope. I turned around for a moment to check to see which cameras were in the area. Luckily, the only camera that could possible see us was directly behind me. I took the envelope from her and tried to open it. "Hey!" I nearly jumped out of my skin. "That ain't for you!"

I frowned at her. Then I smirked. "Ms. Quinzel, you realize you've already given me the envelope, right?" She looked at it for a moment silently, blinked, and attempted to take it back. I was too quick. I stepped back a couple of steps and laughed. "Ah, ah, what's to stop me from reading it, then taking it straight to the warden?" She blinked, then tittered.

"Um…respect of privacy?"

"Nice try."

She sighed. "Look, just please don't read it. And please don't take it to the Warden. Just deliver it to Killer Croc and I promise I'll pay ya back." I looked back at her perplexed.

"Why is it going to Killer Croc?"

"What part of _private_ don't you understand?" She frowned at me cutely. I noticed, not for the first time, how pretty she was without all the makeup to hide her face.

"Alright Harley, you gotta deal." I smiled at her and she smiled back.

"Really?"

"Yep, on one condition." I looked at her in her orange jumpsuit. It fitted her natural curves beautifully. Her round hips and shapely chest were accentuated even in the baggy uniform. Her feet were bare and somehow she had painted her toes red and black. Her hair was put into pigtails and her midriff was showing where she had torn away part of her top. That flat, toned belly of hers was pale but dammit if it wasn't the sexiest thing I've ever seen. I couldn't believe it when the words came out but there they were. "You have to sleep with me."

She blinked at me incredulously. I blinked at her back, equally as incredulous. What was I saying? I had already slept with Poison Ivy and I was lucky enough to only be caught by Rex! Was I really going to risk my job and legal freedom for another one-night stand with an incarcerated maniac? Obviously so!

"Deal," I was almost too lost in thought to realize she had said it. I blinked at her again.

"What?"

"I said deal, if that's what I gotta do to get Mr. J's dirty work done, then fine! I'll do it. I'll boff ya brains out if I have to." She shrugged at it like as if she were being asked to run a simple errand. I didn't care. I wanted her. I had since I first saw her being arrested on the news a few years back, especially in that tight outfit of hers. She was hot! Still is. Fuck it, if I get caught, at least I'll go out with a bang. Um—no pun intended of course. "Tonight. Eleven o'clock, when guards are out to lunch. Sneak back here, unplug the camera, and we'll do it here in my cell." She eyed the envelope critically. "But ya gotta get _that_ to Croc first, got it?" I nodded.

"Yeah, no problem. I'll head that way right now." I turned to walk away, placing the envelope stealthily in my pocket so the camera wouldn't catch it. "Oh and Harley," I said turning back to her. She looked at me with those big blue eyes. "If you try to kill me tonight, during the act I mean. Well, I'll kill you first." I winked at her and for a moment, if only a moment, Harley Quinn seemed a little worried.

I laughed aloud with my hands in my pockets. Then I started for Killer Croc's cell. _Bane may've been right._ I thought to myself. _I may actually be a monster_.

Chapter 12 (Hopefully) Coming Soon!


	12. Chapter 12: A Friend in Need

So it didn't take me as long to come out with this one, and I wanted to make sure you got your time's worth so, at least on Microsoft Word, its nine pages long! Much longer than the last pitiful chapters! To Mr. CJ of Blackwater and Badkidoh, thank you for your PM's and constant comments just know that you and all of you who read my stories and chapters and miserable attempts at piecing together a story are what keep me going. You have no idea how much your constant suggestions and praise means to me. Thanks guys! I hope you enjoy this chapter and I will let you know now that the story itself is coming to a close very soon. Keep reading, I hope I don't disappoint and remember to leave constructive criticism and comments in the comment section. Thanks guys!

Chapter 12: A Friend in Need

"What's it say?" I watched Croc read over the small note a couple of times and for a moment wondered if he could read at all. "Croc, what does it say?"

He crumpled up the paper and threw it over his shoulder. "Nothing, some bullshit about the Joker getting outta here next time. And something about building an army to take down Gotham." I cocked an eyebrow at him. I was leaned up against the glass of his cell with my arms folded across my chest. I stared at him curiously, my red eyes scrutinizing him.

"An army?"

Croc shrugged. "Like I said: Joker bullshit. That's all it is."

This time I shrugged. "Seems like a lot of trouble—and risk—just to inform you of some bullshit fantasy."

"You clearly don't know what the Joker's capable of, or what he's willing to do to get shit done."

I laughed. "Oh yes I do. But Lilly isn't going to allow Joker to escape. She's got him locked down all hours of the day, his meals are taken to him by heavily armed guards, he has three self-repairing indestructible cameras in his cell going at all times, _and_ his wrists and ankles are constantly chained together at _all_ times." I shrugged again. "He isn't going to get out. Let's add onto that, shall we, that Lilly is constantly, _constantly_ watching his every move! Hell, a few of the screens monitoring his cell are set up in Lilly's apartment in the Mansion." Croc shook his head.

"That's not going to stop him. Nothing can." He sounded so sure.

I grinned at him. "Bet you could."

Croc laughed quietly. "Put the two of us in the same room with only the clothes on our backs, no tricks, you bet your ass I could." He was quiet for a moment and then broke the silence with. "Why'd you deliver this anyway?"

"What do you mean?" I asked. He walked over and sat on his mattress, which buckled and groaned under his tremendous weight.

"I mean, shouldn't you have given it to the Warden or somethin'?"

I shrugged again. "I guess, if she hadn't agreed to sleep with me in return." I grinned.

Croc was genuinely surprised. "The fuck?" I laughed aloud.

"That's right! I'm gonna get a piece of Harley by the end of tonight." Croc's stare seemed to darken as he smiled devilishly. It made me _very_ uncomfortable. "What?"

"You've changed, Doc. If it were your first day, you would've never had agreed to bang an inmate. You sure as hell wouldn't have said 'get a piece of Harley'. And now here you are a few weeks later, guilty for both." He grinned evilly. "What happened to _you_?"

I shrugged. I noticed too, of course, he's right. I wouldn't have done or said many things I've done or said in the past few days. Not on my first day, or my first week. However, I'd been here for almost a month and I was starting to get use to the inmates, the way they like to be treated, the way they talk, and of course, the way I felt around them. Secure; like I was surrounded by an understanding company. It was almost as if, _I_ belonged in one of those cells.

"As Bane said." I cocked a devilish grin. "Just because I've committed no crimes, it doesn't mean I'm any less of a monster."

Croc laughed so hard he was almost in tears now. I found myself blushing.

"What?"

Croc continued laughing loudly, he put his hands over his stomach and his shoulders jostled up and down violently. At this point I was getting pissed off. "WHAT?!"

Through gasps he managed to heave out words. "_You?_ You're…a...monster?" He continued to laugh, his cold golden eyes filling with small diamonds that rolled down his scaly cheeks. Finally he simmered down enough to make full sentences. "If you're a monster I'm the _Mar-keese duh-fuckin-Sad_!"

I cocked an eyebrow and sighed. "It's pronounced _Marquis De Sade_, you knuckle-headed dropout." He looked down at me and growled. His laughter ceased immediately. He grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and hoisted me off the ground.

"'The fuck'd you call me?" I grew tense as I felt my feet rise from the security of the tiles beneath me. I put my hands up to show I meant no harm by it.

"Calm down, Croc! I didn't mean anything by it, I always call my friends names. It's completely harmless, I swear!" I look into those tiny golden eyes, so small compared to the massive jaw and railroad spike-teeth. His knuckles grazed my chest underneath my shirt. It felt like sandpaper despite the fabric guarding my flesh.

"Listen here, Doc," Croc said with a bloodthirsty tone. "We ain't _friends_, we're acquaintances at best. If I could get away with it, I'd rip your ass into pieces right here and now and not hesitate to eat you afterwards. I took Cash's hand; I'll take _your_ head!" He threw me to the ground, which I hit hard enough to let out a small cry of pain. I didn't realize until just now how bruised I still was from the numerous beatings I've taken since I got here.

Suddenly two guards with high-powered rifles busted through the door of the room and aimed their guns at the glass. "Stand down, Croc or we _will_ open fire!"

I looked to them and held up a hand. "Stop! What the hell are you doing? I was the one that agitated him! I've got this under control!" They merely stood where they were, weapons still trained. I didn't want them to leave. Oh no, in fact I wanted nothing more than to be out of that cell, I probably would've let them shoot Croc a few times, just to get him away from me. However, they wouldn't be much help behind the _bulletproof_ glass. "Goddammit put your fucking weapons down!"

But it was too late.

Croc roared behind me and dove at me. I could almost swear I saw my life flash before my eyes. However, working and conflicting with the inmates of the prison had left me reactive enough to move out of the path of Croc's assault. I rolled to the side and instantly found my footing. The guards were fumbling with the lock on the cell so I turned to see Croc's status. Unfortunately, he was now bull-rushing my position. He had his massive arms sprawled out like he was attempting a ferocious death-hug. I put up my hand and attempted an authoritative "Stop!" However, he was too blinded by rage to hear a single word I managed to utter. I shifted to my right and stepped successfully out of his way so he'd slam into the thick, seemingly indestructible glass behind me. His head made a loud explosion against the glass and Croc fell unconscious to the ground.

I watched his body slump to the floor and pressed my back against the glass and panted heavily. The guards _finally_ got the glass door to open and rushed in to subdue Croc. Giving him a few jolts with the collar they seemed only now to remember. His unconscious figure seized violently on the floor. It was hard to watch. But I did for a few moments. It was some sort of mental revenge I guess. "You should go, Doctor," one of the guards warned. "If Croc wakes up he'll be one cranky motherfucker."

I nodded and slipped out of the door of the cell and subsequently exited the massive vault-like entrance to the entire room. I sprinted down the hallway and nearly screamed when I crashed into the hulking chest of my brother Stone. He gripped my shoulders with powerful hands and kept me from falling to the floor in fear. I was pale, I could tell, but I was hardly capable of coherent speech. "What happened?" He demanded from me. There was no humor or comedy in his tone. He was worried about me and this was his only way of showing it, through anger.

I blacked out there, in his grip.

xXx

When I awoke I found myself in my apartment in the mansion. I sat up and groaned, hardly capable of recalling what had happened the previous day. I sighed and threw the comforter off my bed and stood up groggily. "Damn, my head hurts."

Slowly but surely the events of yesterday came back to me. When I looked at my phone I realized it was ten o'clock in the morning. Two days later!

"Damn," I muttered to myself. "I've been out that long?" I shrugged and sighed walking into my bathroom and undressing to grab a quick shower before taking off for the day's schedule. I still couldn't believe Lilly or Gorian or even Kainan would let me sleep that long. As I watched the suds disappear into the drain of my shower I realized something that seemed so crucial to me two days ago. But now, I merely shrugged. "Damn, missed my 'appointment' with Harley." For whatever reason, I wasn't feeling as up for knocking boots with the clown as much as I had when we struck the deal. "Not like it would matter to her, wasn't like she was actually interested. Why the hell would I fuck a girl that wasn't interested?" Desperation, that's all it was. I turned off the water and shivered at the cool air rushing out of the air ducts across from the tub. I wrapped my slender waist with a towel and walked into my room, seating myself on the edge of my bed and exhaling deeply. "Damn," I muttered again. "Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn! Damn! DAMN!" I got to my feet, launching a fist through the drywall. It went directly through with little opposition. I turned to the adjacent wall and launched a fist through that one as well, again, without so much as any kind of resistance from the wall itself.

I sat back down on my bed and groaned, running my paint-encrusted fingers through my snow-white hair. I didn't know _why_ exactly I put my fist through two walls. I guess it was just one of those days. I seem to be having them a lot lately.

_I fucked up everything_. I thought to myself with gritted teeth. I can't believe I fucked up all I worked so hard to accomplish with Jones. I tried so hard to get him to trust me and one slip of the tongue blew that right out of the water! I impulsively knocked myself in the head with the palm of my hand, I barely felt the pain. "Shit, shit, shit, SHIT, SHIT!" I continued to curse, every so often popping myself in the side of the head with my palm. "Fuck!"

"Damian?"

The voice almost made me scream. It was so quiet, so calm, like softly running water. I don't know why I said her name. I guess it just reminded me of… "Carmen?"

"No, it's Lilly, can I come in?"

I was so disappointed it wasn't Carmen. I knew she was dead. I guess I kinda wished I was too. I slipped on some pajama bottoms and sighed walking over and opening the door. "What's up?"

Lilly was wearing casual wear. She didn't wear that often, but there she was, in a t-shirt with a mask on it which resembled that of the Assassin Deathstroke and a pair of blue jeans. "I heard you screaming at yourself. You alright?"

I walked past her, through my living room, and into the kitchen where I pulled out a carton of chocolate milk and proceeded to down the rest of the container. I wiped my mouth and asked the question that was bugging me greatly. "What are you doing in my apartment, Lilly?"

"I came by to ask you something. I just want to know if you're alright first. We can talk if you need to." She grabbed for my shoulder to comfort me but I pulled away. I didn't want to be touched for some reason, not even by the sibling that raised me.

"What did you come to ask me?"

She looked at me with concern in her eyes. Then she sighed. "Alright, I came by because a few of the guards down in the monitor room swore they saw Harley Quinn give you something a couple days ago. I meant to ask you yesterday but you never answered any of my calls."

"You called me?" I asked incredulously. "We live in the same fucking building and you couldn't check on me personally?"

Lilly's expression darkened. "What did Harley Quinn give you Damian?"

I frowned. "A lot of lip and sarcasm, what else would she give me?"

Lilly sighed. "Damian, for as long as you and I have been family, have spoken to each other and confided with each other, I think I can tell when you're lying to me."

I gritted my teeth. "Fine! She gave me a note to give to Killer Croc!"

This answer understandably surprised Lilly. "A note?"

"Yes, a note! You happy?"

"Not really. Where is it?"

"I threw it away," I lied.

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you bring it straight to my office, Damian?" Her boot began tapping against the linoleum of my kitchen floor. "I also want to know why you keep LYING to me!" She screamed the word "lying" and it caused a sudden flinch from me. As I've said before, Lilly didn't yell very often.

"I'm not fucking lying to you! I threw it away in one of the trashcans in the penitentiary! Go check for yourself!"

Lilly sighed, rubbing her temples. "Damian, for god's sake, we have you on the cameras handing it over to Killer Croc!" She looked up at me with betrayal in her expression. It hurt to see it so clearly in her stare. Like a knife in the chest. She walked over to the door and opened it. Before she stepped through she turned back to me. "Damian, you are hereby forbidden to step foot outside of the Mansion. You have been suspended from your duties as a member of the Arkham Asylum psychiatric ward and will be until further notice." And with that she stepped out of the door and shut it tight.

Her words rang like gunshots in my mind. _Suspension?_

I was being suspended?

My back hit the refrigerator where I subsequently slid to the floor. I sat there for some time thinking about what I did. Like a child in timeout.

"I lied to Lilly," I told myself, tears welling in my eyes. I couldn't believe this. I've never lied to Lilly in all my life. Not even when we were kids. I told her everything, always the truth. Why did I lie to her now?

My mind began fluttering around in my skull. I thought of Stone, Gorian, Kainan, Rex, Croc, and all of the other inmates I would be disallowed to visit for god knows how long. I admitted to myself, despite what happened two days ago, I would miss Croc the most. He tried to kill me, again, but I would miss seeing him each day.

Why? Why would I miss Croc? He's an inmate, a murderer, a monster, and let's not forget he tried to kill me only a couple days ago and not for the first time. Why do I constantly feel the need to put myself in harm's way? And for whom? A crazy muscled psychopath with a bad skin condition!

Am I…?

I could hardly finish the thought. I sighed and asked myself. "Am I falling in love with Jones?"

Fortunately I wretched at the very thought of any sexual activity concerning the inmate and myself. "Oh thank god it's not that!"

I walked into my living room and slumped into my plush armchair. "So why _am_ I constantly going back to his cell? If not for love, attention maybe? Acceptance? Pity? Self-gratification? What!?

I sat forward in my chair and thought it over. Of course, I could come to no concrete conclusion. I groaned and sat back in my seat. "All that fucking time in Gotham University, following the career that I deemed my ticket out of loneliness and alienation, for what? A man-crush on a medical anomaly! A psychopathic animal-minded mass murderer!

I sighed into my hands and thought of only one other conclusion. "Am I losing my mind?" I thought for a moment of all that I had encountered and witnessed in my short time here at Arkham. Then I sighed and nodded. "That's it then." I scratched the back of my head anxiously. "I must be going nuts, round the bend, coo-coo for fucking coco puffs!" I laughed. "Damn."

A knock at the door forced a surprised grunt from me. I looked over at the front door and immediately thought of a couple of men in white coats with a straight jacket waiting for me on the other side. Then I scratched my head and scolded myself for being paranoid. "Yeah, it's open, c'mon in!"

Rex entered. Something was different about him. I couldn't quite place my finger on it, but there it was. "Hey," he said simply, closing the door behind him.

"Hey," I replied with an absent-minded wave in his direction.

"What's up man?" He muttered quietly. What's different about him?

"Not much, wallowing in self-pity. Yourself?"

He laughed. "Doing the same, I guess."

I cocked an eyebrow. "What do you have to be self-pitiful about?"

"Mr. Freeze, I guess."

"Fries? What about him?"

He shrugged. "His cooling device broke again."

"What the hell is going on with that thing? This is the second time today." I did the math in my head. "And about the eighth time this fucking week!"

"I know. I don't know what to do with it man! I keep tinkering with it and ultimately repairing it, only to have the damn thing on the fritz three hours later." He groaned and took a seat on the couch cushion closest to me. "What's worse, the bastard keeps asking specifically for me to fix the damn thing. Every time it breaks!"

"Did you?"

"Not this time. This time I let Barkley fix the damn thing."

"Barkley?"

"My right-hand, pretty much," Rex replied. "He got hired on shortly after I was and we've been partners ever since. He'll be taking my spot as head of repairs when I eventually retire from this damn deathtrap."

I chuckled. "And how's the retirement plan going?"

"Lousy!" he retorted humorously.

We both shared a laugh for a few moments which died as quickly as it came.

"So…?" Rex finally said after almost a minute of awkward silence.

"So?" I mimicked.

"What was the punishment? Ya know…for transporting the note to Croc?"

"Jesus!" I snapped. "Lilly told you already?"

Rex shook his head. "No, I repair the cameras in the security monitoring station. I know all the footage those puppies record." He pointed at me. "Including your little back-and-forth with Harley."

"Suspension until further notice," I replied with a roll of the eyes. "I guess Lilly assumes I'm too mentally compromised to continue working at my utmost efficiency." I gave another absent-minded wave of the hand. "Whatever."

"Are you?" Rex didn't miss a beat with the question.

"Yeah, probably," I didn't miss a beat either.

"Wanna talk about it, dude?"

"There's nothing to talk about. I'm going nuts man." I rested my forehead in my palm, which was propped up by an elbow. "I think I'm starting to lose it in here."

Rex shrugged. "Doubt it."

"Oh?"

He smiled. "In my experience, crazy people don't often admit that they're crazy. They don't usually realize it either." I supposed there was some logic behind that statement. How would I know? I'm just a fucking psychiatrist!

"Ugh!" I groaned rubbing my temples. "I can't take this shit anymore man!"

"Then quit." Rex shrugged at the suggestion.

"I can't. If I do that I'll lose my apartment and go back to my lonely existence in Gotham without my best friend and family." I emphasized my next choice of words. "That _will_ drive me nuts!"

"Fuck man," Rex laughed. "Then I'll quit with you!"

I scowled at the comment. "Rex, how much do you make at this job?"

"About $95,000 a year."

"Exactly, shut the fuck up!"

Rex laughed. "Money's money man, but friends are more important than that to me, you know that man. They print more money every day that goes by. I don't think I'll find anymore of you."

I shook my head with a laugh. "Guess that's true."

"'Sides," he said punching my shoulder. "I miss when we used to hang out in Gotham, hit the clubs and bars, flirt with the local females, and take 'em home to pound their brains out."

I laughed. "You mean all the times _you_ got the hot one and _I_ was stuck with the quirky friend!"

"Whatever dude, what about those twins?"

"Rex, the one I was left with had like, four teeth left in her head!"

This cause a round of thunderous laughter from the two of us, when it died down, Rex said. "Well, I think this new, edgier Damian might just leave me with the quirky friends." He lifted his eyebrows at me. I shook my head.

"The only thing this so-called "edgy" Damian will leave you with is a headache and a police record." Another bout of laughter.

"Shee-it! I got that all by myself!" Rex countered. We laughed again. It felt good.

"Damn man, I don't think I've laughed like that since I got here."

"Happy to help," Rex said with a wink. He looked around my apartment. "Got any booze in this place?"

I grinned. "Plenty."

So, we enjoyed the night, two friends who had found each other once again after long last. Rex Draven, my brother-in-arms and the only reason I still kept my sanity. I knew this to be fact. We split a bottle of Jim Beam and chugged the stuff from the bottle. We sang, we laughed, we cried, and we threw up. Just like the good old days, god how I missed them.

Suddenly I didn't miss Croc so much. Suddenly, I didn't feel the need to knock boots with an inmate nor did I notice the strange difference in Rex. I just wanted this night to last forever. I never wanted the sun to rise.

But we never get what we want.

Do we?

We both ultimately passed out on the couch and armchair. The night _did_ end. The sun _did_ rise and bring us the next day. And little did I know; _this_ particular day was the day I threw my life to the sharks and watched it replaced with a cloud of blood.

I would have never expected myself capable of what I did.

I never expected myself capable of murder…

_**(Not to ruin the mood I hope this chapter's end created. But it's understandably come to my attention that an anonymous reader has accused Damian of being a Mary Sue. I have no qualms with you Anon. I just wish you'd have posted with your name. I'm not angry. I appreciate the constructive criticism. I would also like to assure you guys that I am trying my best to keep Damian out of those waters and hope the rest of you don't see him as a Mary Sue or Gary Stu or whatever you call them. If you think he is or isn't, please I would appreciate the honest remarks in the comment section. Thanks again!) **_

**CHAPTER 13 COMING SOON!**


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